Love of a Britannian Empress
by Elly3981
Summary: As the new Zero, Suzaku must now protect Empress Nunnally when she becomes stalked by an unknown killer. As he becomes involved in a deadly game of cat and mouse as well as race against time, he quickly realizes that things are not what they seem and soon finds himself fighting the yearnings of his own heart as well as protecting the empress from danger...
1. Prologue: The Girl Who Would Be Empress

**Disclaimer: I do not own Code Geass characters; I just like to play with them. I wrote this story for my amusement only (and yours too) I hope you like it. Up until now, all my stories have been one-shots; this is my first attempt at a longer story so please review and go easy on me. I welcome ideas and constructive criticism but only if inquired respectively. Thank you, enjoy, and please review!**

**On a note: To those of you who are new to my story, I recently got a new cover art for it drawn by Miss Jessica Prando. The larger version can be found on DeviantArt: #/art/The-Empress-and-her-Knight-384508866?_sid=7855e72c**

**Prologue: The Girl Who Would Be Empress**

It was well past midnight in the Britannian homeland, long past bedtime for the citizens who had to be up early the next morning for work; very few people were up and about unless they were working the graveyard shift. In the imperial palace, huddled in her chamber, Princess Nunnally vi Britannia sat in bed, her arms folded over her knees as she gazed out the moonlit window in an empty stare. It had only been a few days since her brother's assassination and she had not yet recovered from the shock. For now, she could not shed any more tears, having shed all she physically could for the day but her heart still wept for the brother she would never see again.

Lelouch was dead. The loving brother who had protected and provided for her these past eight years was gone forever. Never again would she hear his words of love and reassurance or feel the gentle touch of his hand. Even though it was only briefly, she was grateful that she was at least able to see his face again one last time before he met his violent end as the supposed tyrannical 'Mad Emperor' as he was called.

Nunnally was snapped out of her trance when she heard someone knock at the door. She was not in the mood to see anyone today, even though she had not left her chamber or spoken to anyone in over half a week; she still wanted to be left alone with her grief. Yet she was curious to see who would come to her chamber at such a late hour.

"Who is it?" She called out softly.

Instead of answering, the person on the other side of the door opened it slowly and entered the room with quiet footsteps. It was a masked man in a dark suit that she recognized all too well.

"Zero!" she gasped. Fear and alarm made her forget her grief briefly as she braced herself for danger. Grabbing a dagger from her wall, she brandished it at the masked man. "You bastard, you murdered my brother!" she spat "Have you come for me now as well?"

Nunnally tried her best not to let the fear show on her face but her voice gave her away. She knew the man could easily dispatch her but that doesn't mean she'd let him do so without a fight.

"Have no fear, Princess, I will not harm you" the man said softy "I only wished to speak with you."

Nunnally lowered the dagger in her hand a little, her curiosity peaked. "If you are not here for my life, then what do you want?" she asked.

The man known as Zero slowly reached up and removed the mask from his face. Even in the dimly moonlit room, Nunnally could make out his smooth refined features, chestnut-brown hair and emerald-green eyes.

"Who are you?"

Suzaku was not surprised. Of course, she wouldn't recognize him by his looks, having only just regained her vision recently. "Its me…" he said simply. Without the voice modifier of the mask, Nunnally thought she recognized his natural voice but still wasn't sure. Sensing her doubt, Suzaku reached for her hand which she quickly jerked back in alarm. "It's alright" he gently assured her "I promise I will not harm you. Please trust me."

Nunnally was still a little fearful at first but finally gave in since she felt no ill intent from the man. From what she could see, he was a youth about the same age as Lelouch.

When he touched her hand in that familiar way, it finally dawned on her.

"Suzaku?" she gasped as she stared at him in shock. Her surprise did not come of just discovering his true identity. In all the years Nunnally had known him, she knew Suzaku only by the sound of his voice and gentle touch of his hand upon hers. When she finally saw his face for the first time, she was stunned speechless for she didn't think there was any man out there as handsome as her late brother until now.

Even so, the princess still hadn't forgotten what he had done. After she had recovered from her shock, her anger returned. "Why?" she shrieked "You were his best friend!" She already knew why but she wanted to hear it from Suzaku himself as if to confirm what she saw when she touched her dying brother's hand.

The dark knight was silent for a moment. He wasn't sure how to explain. It was times like these that he sorely envied Lelouch's intellect and way with words. His friend always knew how to handle and what to say in every situation, especially where Nunnally was concerned. He tried to think of a softer way to say it but couldn't so he thought simplicity would work best for now.

"Because he asked me to…" Suzaku answered softly, lowering his head and avoiding her eyes as if he were ashamed to look her in the face. He was afraid of what he would see, what he didn't want to see; the look of a woman betrayed. He wanted to explain everything to her, how all this was Lelouch's own plan; that was one of the reasons he came to see her tonight. But he hesitated because he wasn't sure how she would take it. He shifted uncomfortably, trying to think of what to say. Luckily, he didn't have to say anything since she already knew.

Nunnally's expression softened. "So its true…" she whispered. "Not only did he know, he actually planned his own assassination."

Now it was Suzaku's turn to be shocked. "Yes, how did you know?"

"I saw everything when he touched my hand, must have been due to the geass, no doubt."

Nunnally felt the tears welling up in her eyes again. Knowing doesn't necessarily make things easier. Suzaku sat down on the bed next to her and took her in his arms, letting her rest her head on his shoulder in comfort. Stroking her hair gently, he leaned forward and planted a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Don't be sad, Nunnally. This is what he wanted; Lelouch gave his life for you as well as the peace of the world. Please don't let it be a needless sacrifice; you must be strong for what lies ahead."

Nunnally looked up at him, puzzled. "I don't understand, what do you mean?"

The Knight smiled down at her. "I promised Lelouch I would protect you. He has named you his sole heir and successor so please be strong, for you will soon be empress, empress of all Britannia..."

**A/N: Ok, this is only a prologue and the plot might not unfold for another chapter or two so please be patient and bear with me. Since I see so few of them, I have decided to write a fic centered mostly on Nunnally and Suzaku. So basically, in this story, Suzaku becomes her chief protector as Zero when she becomes empress and her life becomes threatened and somewhere along the line, they fall in love. : )**


	2. 1: Freedom to Love

**A/N: Ok, in this story, Nunnally is now eighteen and reigns over Britannia as its 100th Empress. As empress, she would be subject to many dangers that her chief protector, Suzaku, AKA, Zero, has to protect her from. I was inspired to write this after seeing the 1992 film "The Bodyguard" starring Keven Costner and Whitney Houston. I'm sure those who've seen the movie will have a good idea of where this fic is going. If you haven't, you will find out soon enough! ; )**

**On a note, while I try to keep everything as canon as possible in my sequel to R2, I may change some small minor details to make my story work so please do not be concerned if some parts of this fic does not match up with the anime exactly. By the time this fic takes place, the capital, Pendragon, which was destroyed near the end of R2 has been rebuilt and the Knights of the Round will have only four members lead by Suzaku as the Knight of Zero.**

**Chapter 1: Freedom to Love**

Three years later...

"I told you, I'm not ready to get married yet!" Nunnally yelled as she threw her arms up in exasperation before storming out of the throne room, her long skirts swishing behind her.

"Your Highness!" The grand visor called out after the young empress. This wasn't the first time he and the rest of the royal council had had this discussion with the eighteen year-old Britannian empress. For the past few months, they have been trying to get the girl to choose a husband from among her countless suitors and for months she had refused them all, claiming that she was not ready.

Empress Nunnally vi Britannia was more then beautiful. Over the last three years of her reign, she had blossomed from a cute, shy chit of a girl into a fiery beauty with a spirited personality to match; many thought her to be the most beautiful woman in all of Britannia and possibly the world. Her honey-colored hair and light violet eyes were a sharp contrast to her late brother's raven hair and dark amethyst eyes but they were no less beautiful or alluring. Along with her angelic face and ivory skin, she was now half a foot taller as well as curvaceous with a generous bosom. Ever since she became of marriageable age, countless princes and nobles from every corner of the empire and the world came seeking her hand in marriage; each vowed to conquer the world for her love.

Nunnally herself, however, have had more then enough of conceited, bragging noblemen. If only one of them would show her a little kindness, a little honesty, and a sense of humor wouldn't hurt either. Of course, she still had to find her husband somewhat attractive and he needed to be successful as well; those things still mattered but they were not the first on her list of requirements for a husband. As empress, Nunnally knew she was expected to marry and produce an heir for the Britannian throne but that didn't mean she would allow herself to be pressured into a marriage she might very well regret later.

"Leave her alone, Leonard. Marriage is a serious matter and she says she's not ready. You wouldn't like being pressured into marriage either, would you?" Cornelia pointed out after the empress had left the throne room. She had remained silent throughout the discussion between the grand visor and the empress but now that the girl had left, she felt like she had to speak up to keep the old man from following and aggravating Nunnally further.

"I know", he said "But this can't go on. The empress is unmarried and childless. What do you think will happen should something happen to her? There would be chaos and fighting among the rest of the imperial family over the throne."

"I highly doubt anything will happen to her. The empress has the protection of Zero as well as myself and the rest of the Knights of the Round. She is still young so there is plenty of time for her to marry and produce an heir. Just give her a little time to find the one she wants. You would be picky too if you were in her place."

Through her loyal service to the former Empress Marianne, Cornelia had retained her position as commander-in-chief of the Britannian Imperial Army after Nunnally had ascended the throne alongside her personal knight, Gilbert Gilford, who was now her husband and partner. She had been happily married for little over a year and could not imagine being denied that happiness simply because of social expectations or disapproval so she understood why Nunnally resisted any and all attempts of her council to pressure her into choosing a husband quickly. Because the young empress was her second favorite sister next to Euphemia as well as the daughter of her idol, Cornelia felt a strong sense of loyalty towards Nunnally so she was always quick to defend the girl against the grand visor and other royal council members' attempts to pressure her into marriage. But deep down, she knew they were right; the girl would have to choose sooner or later.

The old man removed his hat and scratched his head. "You're right, I suppose. I guess we can give her a little more time. Maybe if she doesn't feel pressured, there is a better chance she will choose sooner then later."

Cornelia nodded. _Let's hope so_, she thought gazing in the direction Nunnally had left.

**SSSSSS**

Nunnally sat down on a stone bench in the beautiful Imperial Garden, admiring the flowers and looking down at the fish swimming in the pond below her. The sound of chirping birds as well as running water from the exquisitely carved fountains always made her feel at ease during times like these which was why the garden became her favorite getaway. Here, she could relax and be alone with her thoughts, away from the demanding aspects of her royal duties.

Having become empress when she was only fifteen, Nunnally's ascension to the Britannian throne was even more shocking then her brother's. Unlike Lelouch, she did not have a commanding or intimidating presence. The fact that she was still crippled at the time did not help in gaining the people's faith and confidence in her as their next ruler. Her father would have never considered her for the throne and people also feared that she would be a weak ruler, unable to maintain order in an empire that was already unstable.

Nunnally however, had proven them wrong, at least so far, having reigned for only three years. She may have appeared frail on the surface but like her late brother, she had fiery determination and a strong will to succeed; she only needed guidance because of her inexperience and she had no shortage of that. Her loyal older sister along with the grand visor and royal council did their best to ensure that she made the best choices which was why she tolerated their insistence on her marrying even though she resisted their attempts every step of the way. Like Lelouch, Nunnally could also be incredibly stubborn when she chooses as they all discovered when she became of age a few months ago.

Nunnally can compromise and negotiate on many things but marriage was the one issue she could not and would not compromise on. She knew that as an empress, her choices were a lot more narrow then that of commoners. The man she married would have to be of royal or noble birth, or at the very least, a high ranking knight of Britannia; that already eliminated over seventy-five percent of the world's men. Though modern times allowed members of the imperial royal family more freedom to choose their spouses, they still did not have the same level of freedom as commoners. Even still, Nunnally was determined to marry for love; she could not imagine a fate worse then spending her whole life in an unhappy, loveless marriage simply because of social expectations.

It was times like these that she sorely envied Lelouch's ability to make people see things his way, with or without his geass. If he were still emperor, no one would even think of trying to pressure him into marriage and if they did, he would have definitely resisted; of that, Nunnally was certain. Perhaps it was because she was a lone female ruler that people felt she needed a strong husband in order to rule effectively and that she resented with a passion. If there was one thing Nunnally despised more then anything was people thinking she was not intelligent or strong-willed just because she was physically frail. She may not have Lelouch's genius-level intellect but that didn't mean she was dim-witted either.

Many women envied the young empress's beauty, wealth, and power and found them highly desirable. But that was because they didn't know the truth. Being the only one in her position, Nunnally knew better; her job was often anything but glamorous. When she was still a student at Ashford Academy living the life of a commoner, she had so much more personal freedom then she did now as Britannia's 100th empress. She missed the days when she was free to come and go casually as she pleased with her brother and friends without being disturbed. Nowadays she couldn't go anywhere without drawing a crowd and being surrounded by her bodyguards.

The young empress was shaken from her thoughts upon hearing the sound of someone approaching. Looking up, she saw a tall young man dressed in a white suit and dark blue cape, the new dress uniform of the Knights of the Round, designed and made by her personal handmaiden, Sayako Shinozaki. There were not that many places he could dress like this or even go about without his mask because to the entire world, he was dead, believed to have been killed in a knightmare explosion in his battle with Kallen Kozuki Stadtfield years ago. Whenever he did present himself to the outside world, he did so in the guise of Zero, the Dark Knight of Justice.

Nunnally smiled at the handsome young man. "Suzaku..." she said softly.

**A/N: Ok, so I think I'm going somewhere with this fic. I have a broad idea of what I wanted it to be like but haven't been able to pan out details until I finally typed it. It's funny because I often only think of the broad theme of a story and am unable to come up with details if I'm only thinking of them in my mind. I'm so glad I decided to finally sit down and write this because once I did, the ideas started coming faster and more easily! The next chapter won't be too long in coming so look forward to it! ; )**

**On another note, I know Nunnally is supposed to be crippled. I will explain why she is walking again in the next few chapters so please bear with me. : )**


	3. 2: For Duty or Love?

**A/N: There have been many changes among the positions of several of the main characters in the years following the events of R2. There are also now 13 seats among the Round Table led by Suzaku who retains his position as the Knight of Zero but under his new identity as the general public believes him to be dead. Since several of the original Knights were killed in the battle to remove Lelouch from power, only 5 seats are currently filled.**

**Nunnally vi Britannia- 100th empress of the Holy Britannian Empire, heir to Lelouch vi Britannia**

**Suzaku Kururugi- Knight of Zero, leader of the Knights of the Round**

**Jeremiah Gottwald- Knight of One**

**Gino Weinberg- Knight of Two**

**Anya Alstreim- Knight of Three**

**Kallen Kozuki Stadtfeld- Knight of Four**

**Cornelia li Britannia- 2nd princess of the Britannian Imperial Family, Commander-in-chief of the Britannian Armed Forces**

**Sayako Shinozaki- Personal handmaiden to Empress Nunnally, Pendragon Imperial Palace Chief of Staff**

**Amelia 'Milly' Ashford- Principal of Ashford Academy, heiress to the Ashford family fortune**

**Chapter 2: For Duty or Love?**

"What troubles you, Your Highness?" Suzaku asked, taking a deep bow before his empress.

"You don't have to call me that when we're alone" Nunnally said, taking a deep sigh. "In fact, I prefer you didn't."

Suzaku relaxed. "Of course, Nunnally. Please tell me what troubles you."

The young empress smiled. She didn't know why but for some reason, she always felt relaxed and at ease in this knight's presence. Being her chief protector and most trusted confident, Nunnally felt like she could tell him anything; Suzaku was the only person she trusted completely other then Lelouch. Smoothing out her flowing white skirts, she sighed.

"It's nothing serious. Lord McCoy was just getting on my nerves again. He and the rest of the royal council have been trying to get me to take a husband for months. It irritates me to no end; I know I'll have to marry sometime but I just hate being pressured into it. When I do marry, I want it to be for love, you know? After all, this is the rest of my life we're talking about."

Suzaku laid a hand on her shoulder, which was bare due to her off-shoulder dress. Made of pure teal silk, the gown had eye-shaped patterns identical to the ones on Lelouch's white robe when he was emperor. In his honor, Nunnally had all her empress gowns bear those same patterns even though the color and style was different on each dress. The one she was wearing now left her shoulders bare and revealed a generous amount of cleavage, her corset enhancing the visual effect.

"I understand" he said softly. "You have so many fine men to choose from. Surely you can find at least one to your liking, can't you? Do you have any idea what kind of husband you'd like?"

To this Nunnally chuckled. "Honestly? I would like someone like my late onii-sama."

Suzaku smiled sadly at the mention of his late friend. Kneeling before his empress, he took her delicate hand in his own. "I really hope you'll find someone to make you happy, I do. Until then and even after you do, I will always be here for you when you need me." He meant it with all his heart. Besides Kaguya, Nunnally was the closest he had to a sibling of his own and he loved her as such, promising Lelouch that he would protect and care for her in his place when he was gone.

Though he had not approved of his friend's methods, Suzaku had to admit that the world did become a better place because of his actions; practically everyone he knew were leading better lives. Yet he could not help but feel guilt and regret that Nunnally wasn't one of them. Lelouch had made the world a better place for her as he promised, but the price for that was his life and she didn't feel it was worth it. He also secured the Britannian throne for her and used his geass to ensure that the rest of the royal family would be loyal to them both but that didn't make her anywhere near as happy as just being with him had been.

The empress bent over and hugged her knight. "I know" she whispered. "You've always been there for me and for that I will always be grateful. But I want you to be happy as well; I don't want you to feel like you have to stay here and protect me just because of a promise you made my brother."

Suzaku shook his head. "No, not at all" he insisted "Please don't ever think that. Yes, it's true that Lelouch asked me to care for you in his place but everything I've done up into now was of my own free will. I never felt like I was bound here; I've always wanted to be here, with you." It was true; Nunnally was not only his empress, but also his friend. He knew that Lelouch's death had devastated her. It didn't help that she wasn't even allowed the luxury of time to heal and mourn for him; she ascended the throne just a week after his assassination because the people of the empire demanded order. At fifteen, Nunnally became the youngest person ever to ascend the Britannian throne. It was a great responsibility and heavy burden for one so young and frail but Suzaku did everything he could to make it easier for her, never leaving her side. He was present at her coronation and brother's funeral, always making sure he was near in case she ever needed him.

Nunnally smiled. "Thank you, Suzaku" she said softly "I just wished everyone else was as understanding as you. I guess it's because you're the only person other then onii-sama who knows me so well. There are times I wish he were still emperor instead of me; he's so much more suited for the job then I am. No one would ever think of trying to pressure him into marriage simply because he's a man. Everyone thinks I'm too weak to rule alone without a strong husband even when I try my best to prove that I'm not." Suzaku wasn't so sure about that but held his tongue.

Though he was equally handsome, courageous, and head-strong as Lelouch, he still felt somewhat inferior to his friend because he knew he wasn't as gifted when it came to intellect and way with words. Lelouch may have been more physcially frail but he always knew what to say to make others feel confident and at ease. He would never admit it, even to himself, but deep down, Suzaku had always harbored a small jealousy towards his late friend. Even when they were children, Lelouch always knew what to do when they ran into problems; now that he was gone, Suzaku could no longer turn to him for answers.

"I miss him…" Nunnally said sadly.

"I know" Suzaku said gently, stroking her soft hair "I do too. I know it hasn't been easy living without him all these years but you've proven yourself to be the empress he hoped you would be. Don't ever think yourself weak, Nunnally; Lelouch would be proud of you. I know it because I'm proud of you."

"Thank you… but still, sometimes I feel like I've been such a burden to him. He's done so much for me, for the world, and I couldn't even give him a proper burial like he deserved."

"You were never a burden to him; he wanted to do it. You were his everything; he loved you. Don't feel bad that you couldn't give him a grand funeral; he wasn't expecting it." Both of them fell silent as they thought of the previous emperor.

Though much had happened to put a strain on their friendship, one thing Suzaku was grateful for was that he was at least able to reconcile with his friend before his death. The 'Zero Requiem' as Lelouch called it, was his way of atoning for his past misdeeds; it was a plan to make the whole world hate him and to destroy that hatred by his death. Not only did he sacrifice his life, but also the honor of his memory; he would go down in history as the most reviled of tyrants, his name cursed by people the world over for all eternity. There could be no greater penance then that. Suzaku could never forget the look on his friend's face during those final moments. There was no anger, no hatred, no spite for everything that had happened between them. He simply looked his would-be murderer in the face…

And smiled.

It had happen so quickly for everyone else who witnessed it but for him, it felt like an eternity. Knowing what he was supposed to do did not make it any easier; there was even a brief fear that he would lose his nerve and botch the assassination at the last minute, condemning Lelouch to a slow and agonizing death. Suzaku did his best and prayed with all his heart that his aim would be true so that his friend would not suffer long. All it took was a swift, clean thrust to the chest and thankfully, he was successful-

It took less then five minutes for him to die.

Days later, Lelouch's funeral was held in secret in the private chapel of the Imperial Palace. Only those closest to him who knew or later learned of the truth behind his actions mourned his passing. Nunnally, Suzaku, Jeremiah, C.C, Kallen, Kaguya, and other top members of the Black Knights attended his private service in the dead of the night while the rest of Britannia slept. During the funeral, Suzaku could not help noticing that C.C was oddly quiet and unemotional for losing someone so close to her. He had heard rumors that she and Lelouch had been lovers and thought that she would be just as upset as Nunnally. The amber-eyed witch was a mystery to them all and her calm silence during the funeral made him feel like she knew something he didn't.

Too bad he wasn't able to question her on it for soon after the service was over, she begged Nunnally to allow her to take the coffin bearing Lelouch's body away to a secret grave, a request Nunnally was reluctant to grant because she wished for her brother to be buried in the royal family's mausoleum next to Euphemia. C.C managed to convince her that doing so would be risky because there were countless people who would love to get their hands on his corpse and the thought of angry mob tearing it to pieces was one of her worse fears. It was fortunate that Jeremiah was able to take away and hide Lelouch's body in the commotion after his assassination or they wouldn't even have a body to bury. Both Suzaku and Nunnally had to agree and allowed the witch to sneak the coffin out of the Imperial Palace right after the funeral, hidden in a wagon set for the countryside. They have not seen her since but Nunnally had kept in touch with her through secret letters; who knows what kind of rumors may start if people discovered the empress associating with a known accomplice of the 'Mad Emperor'.

In the months that followed, Suzaku was plagued with mixed feelings over his deed, feelings of guilt, regret, and sometimes even anger towards his friend for putting him in such a position. People saw him as a hero for bringing down the so-called 'Mad Emperor' and freeing the world from his tyranny but Suzaku himself knew better. It was Lelouch who was the real hero despite his past misdeeds. Only he could think of something as genius as the Zero Requiem. Once again, Suzaku envied his friend. Not only was Lelouch a brilliant thinker and strategist, but an incredibly talented actor as well-

He even knew how to die in style.

Though he and everyone close to Lelouch were saddened by his death, Suzaku knew that Nunnally had suffered the most. The first six months was the hardest for the young empress. Not being able to openly express her grief for her brother had nearly driven her to the brink of insanity. For months, she relieved and had nightmares of his assassination again and again; Suzaku could not even remember how many times she had woken up screaming in the middle of the night.

Hearing those screams of anguish in her sweet voice curdled his blood and pierced his very soul because he knew he was the cause. Even if it was for the greater good and Lelouch's own request, it didn't change the fact that he killed his best friend and the cherished brother of the women he loved. He thought it was what he wanted, to avenge Euphemia by taking his friend's life. But when Lelouch finally handed him his revenge on a silver platter, he found no satisfaction in it. In fact, he felt even worse, especially when C.C later revealed to him that the incident with Euphemia was an accident, triggered when Lelouch lost control of his geass.

After several moments of silence and reminiscing, Suzaku was about to say something else when he heard the sound of a throat being cleared. Looking up, he and Nunnally noticed the presence of a servant; how long the young maid had been standing there watching them, he did not know. Suzaku silently cursed himself for not being more careful. It was not because he feared his identity would be revealed. True, the entire world believed he was dead and he could not show his face anywhere people might recognize him but those who lived and worked in the Imperial Palace was loyal to Nunnally and those she held dear so they had no problems keeping his secret. It was because he found himself in somewhat of a compromising situation with his empress. However, Nunnally herself didn't feel that way; she simply stood up as if nothing had happened and asked the servant what she wanted.

The maid bowed. She thought nothing of what she saw because everyone in the palace knew the empress and her knight were close friends and had known each other since childhood. "Your Highness, dinner is almost ready; please come inside. You must eat and get plenty of rest; tomorrow is going to be a long day. This time, you have suitors from the Chinese Federation coming to see you."

Nunnally nodded. "Yes, of course. Thank you; I will be there right away. Come, Lord Kururugi, I'm sure you must be famished as well."

"As you wish, Your Highness." Suzaku said as he got up and followed his empress to the dining hall. Tomorrow was going to be a long day indeed and there was going to be more days like it until the empress finally chooses a husband. He wasn't sure why, but he wasn't looking forward to it at all.

**A/N: Okay, the plot should start to become more apparent in the next chapter. Thanks for being patient with me. I'm going to try to update as often as I can but if I appear slow, it's because I'm being swamped with work and school so please bear with me! I may also suffer a case or writer's block every now and then so reviews and suggestions would be welcomed! ; )**


	4. 3: Unexpected Danger

**Chapter 3: Unexpected Danger**

"And now may I present her Royal Highness, the 100th Empress of the Holy Empire of Britannia, Empress Nunnally vi Britannia!" The voice of Lord Leonard McCoy rang throughout the elegant throne room of the Britannian Imperial Palace where a crowd of suitors were lined from the inside of the room all the way out into the hallway. Ever since she had turned eighteen, Nunnally's royal council had arranged a week of every month for suitors to come to the Imperial Palace to see the empress in hopes that she would chose a husband from among them. All were fine, young, wealthy princes and nobles from all corners of the empire and the world. Each month, usually the first week, a large group of suitors from a different country would come to Britannia to seek Nunnally's hand in marriage.

This time the suitors came from the Chinese Federation, courtesy of Empress Tianzi. The Chinese empress, a young woman about the same age as Nunnally, worked with her the last few years in repairing the relationship and peace between their two empires after the foiled political marriage between herself and the first Britannian price, Odysseus. Being able to relate to and understand Nunnally's desire to maintain peace and stability within her empire as well as marrying for love, Tianzi became her ally and close friend even though they saw each other in person only a few times a year; often speaking over the internet. The Chinese empress had recently married her loyal knight, Li Xingke, who became her prince consort and wished the same happiness for her friend so she tried to be as helpful as she could, sending the finest young men from the far corners of her empire in hopes that Nunnally would find one to her liking.

Nunnally was grateful for her friend's thoughtfulness as well as the fact that Tianzi held no grudge against her for Lelouch's actions in the past. Both of them agreed that the past did not matter too much since neither of them were seriously hurt; it was the here and now that was important. As long as they both understood that, maintaining peace between their two empires would be easier plus it was in both their interests to be allies rather then enemies. She did not need to have a Chinese husband to maintain an alliance between their two empires but it would be more convenient if she did. Nunnally was also grateful that Tianzi had no intention of pushing her to choose from among her nobles, but merely recommended and suggested them. In addition to that, the Chinese empress sent her a letter expressing regret that she could not be there in person but wished Nunnally the best of luck in finding a husband.

Asides from the nobles, their servants, knights, and attendants were also present in the throne room and hallway as well as Nunnally's own. Having travelled from afar to see the empress, they were all given room and board within the Imperial Palace and treated as honored guests. Each came in their richest finery as well as great gifts for the empress in hopes of winning her hand. With Cornelia standing on one side of her throne and Suzaku disguised as Zero standing on the other, Nunnally curtsied before the crowd of nobles as the grand visor announced her before sitting down on her throne. With her honey-colored hair in a loose bun and dressed in an off-shoulder navy gown with matching jewels, the lovely young empress drew the attention of everyone in the room. As she seated herself, she heard whispers from among the people crowded in the throne room and hallway as they looked at her in wonder and amazement.

"The empress is dazzling!"

"She's as beautiful as the rumors say!"

"No wonder so many come to seek her hand!"

No matter how many times Nunnally heard people praise her beauty, she could never quite get used to it. She had always felt like such a child compared to her royal sisters, especially Cornelia and late Euphemia. Just a few years ago, she practically had no bust or figure and never thought she would match her sisters' beauty. She still felt that way sometimes even though everyone around her assured her she was stunning.

The next few hours dragged on slowly for Suzaku; he often found himself scowling in displeasure behind his mask as he watched each suitor bow and introduce himself to Nunnally, one after the other, showing off his finery as well as offering her gifts and proclaiming his undying love for her. What irked him most was that they did so without even knowing the empress; he knew they were very likely in love with her beauty, wealth, and power. Which one of them wouldn't want a shot at the Britannian throne with the most beautiful woman in the empire to wife?

It was times like this Suzaku was grateful to wear a mask just so that people could not see the look of displeasure on his face. He knew he promised Nunnally that he would be loyal to whomever she chose as her husband but why did he feel as though he would never be able to approve of anyone she ended up marrying no matter who it was? Maybe it was because he felt that there wasn't anyone good enough for her; in that respect, he was no different from Lelouch. Suzaku was certain his late friend would have felt the same way.

On the other side of the throne, Cornelia had similar feelings and was trying hard not to let them show on her face because she did not have the luxury of a mask like the dark knight. Fiercely loyal to Nunnally, Cornelia loved her little sister and only wanted her to be happy but sadly doubted that any of the men seeking her hand wanted the young empress for who she was inside. Still, she knew it was absolutely necessary for Nunnally to marry and produce an heir and could only hope for the best even though she too, couldn't bring herself to approve of any the present suitors; all she could see were conceited, bragging noblemen.

"And may I present the final suitor of the day, Lord Liu Guojiang!"

Nunnally silently bowed her head a little and managed to smile politely as she listened to the usual prattle from the noble who was to be her final suitor for the day. Though every one of them differed in their wording and style, all proposals from the young men seeking her hand for months had been the same; each one praises her beauty and tells her how madly in love with her he was and how honored he would be if she chose him as her husband. She thought it funny that not one of them could tell her _why_ they were so in love with her, just how much they _were_. Sadly, even though Nunnally tried not to think about it, deep down, she already knew why. That was probably why she couldn't bring herself to choose.

After it was over, the empress stood up, thankful that the ordeal was over. It took all her effort not to roll her eyes as she listened to one boring proposal after another. Clearing her throat, Nunnally made her usual announcement:

"I thank you all for being here today. All of you are such fine young men, it will be difficult for me to choose but rest assured, I will consider each and every one of you for your efforts. Please rest and enjoy yourselves for the rest of the evening; I have prepared a banquet in your honor and my servants will attend to your every need."

Now that they were finally able to leave their posts, Suzaku and Cornelia joined Nunnally and the rest of her knights and attendants in the banquet hall for dinner. It was during these banquets that the empress was usually able to walk around and talk to each of her suitors individually so as to get to know them a little better. Though he had to distance himself from her every now and then to give them a little privacy, Suzaku made sure he was never far from her side. He never spoke to the other suitors, only to Cornelia, Jeremiah, Gino, or other members of Nunnally's circle that he knew well.

Even though she couldn't see the expression on his face, Cornelia could sense Suzaku's displeasure as he glanced towards Nunnally's direction where she was having an up close and personal chat with one of her countless suitors.

"You don't seem too pleased with any of these guys" she said, practically reading his mind.

"I just don't like it that they see Nunnally as some prize to be won" he growled.

Cornelia smiled sadly "I know; I don't like it either. But I'm glad she at least has a choice. Can you imagine how devastating it would be for her if she didn't?"

Suzaku had to agree but knowing that didn't seem to make him feel any better; this having been going on for half a year now since Nunnally turned eighteen. "At the rate she's going, it could be a while before she finds anyone she likes."

"She's going to have to decide eventually because if she doesn't choose within a reasonable timeframe, the royal council will choose for her."

The masked knight nearly jumped in his surprise. "What!?" He was shocked because he thought Nunnally would have as long as she needed to find the right husband. "Why?" he moved a little closer to Cornelia, his voice lowering to a whisper. "How long does she have?" he demanded.

"Until…"- before she could finish her sentence, she was cut off by the load explosion of a bomb going off.

**A/N: The plot finally thickens! ;) **


	5. 4: Empress Beware

**Chapter 4: Empress Beware**

The banquet hall was filled with the stench of smoke and fire as people screamed and attempted to scramble to safety. It had happened so suddenly and unexpectedly that no one saw it coming. After he had recovered from his shock, there was only one thing on Suzaku's mind:

_Nunnally!_

Unconcerned with his own safety, the dark knight frantically made his way through the haze of smoke and fire in a desperate attempt to find his empress, praying that she was still alive. He himself was unharmed because he was a safe distance away when the bomb went off but he feared Nunnally might not be so fortunate.

Suzaku found the young empress sprawled across the floor in the middle of the room, unconscious not far from the main table. She was apparently saved by the one suitor she was speaking with when the bomb went off; the young man saved her life by pinning her to the ground and shielding her with his own body. Though he didn't care for any of the men seeking Nunnally's hand, he had to be grateful to this particular suitor for saving her. All around him, he heard people shouting and Cornelia ordering someone to call the fire station as well as other knights evacuating people who were unhurt and servants tending to the wounded.

After checking to make sure the young man was still alive, Suzaku called for a knight to assist him, ordering him to take the unconscious suitor away while he tended to the empress. Looking Nunnally over, he saw that she was bleeding from a wound on her right leg but other then that, she did not appear seriously hurt, something he was extremely thankful for. As he took the unconscious Nunnally in his arms, he saw Cornelia rush to his side to check her pulse and examine her for injuries.

"Thank God she's alive" she breathed in relief. "But I'm afraid we need to get her leg treated soon or she might become crippled again."

Suzaku didn't need any further goading. "I will see to it. Please take care of everything here and I'll get back to you later."

Cornelia nodded. "Of course; come see me as soon as you are able. An assassination attempt on the empress is a serious matter that needs to be discussed." And with that, the Britannian commander-in-chief left him to handle the situation in the banquet hall. From what they could see, the damage caused by the bomb appeared to be confined only to the banquet hall but the number of casualties remained to be seen.

Though he was far from uncaring, Suzaku knew that his first priority was the safety of his empress. When he made sure on one was looking, he proceeded to carry the unconscious Nunnally away to her chamber so that her injuries may be treated as soon as possible. But when he turned to leave the banquet hall, he felt a heavy hand on his shoulder. Startled, Suzaku turned and found himself looking into the golden eyes of Lord Jeremiah Gottwald.

"We need to talk" he said.

"Now is not a good time" Suzaku growled through his dark mask.

"Well, I know _that_" the other Knight shot back in annoyance. "I mean after the empress is taken care of. Come to the meeting room of the Knights of the Round as soon as you tend to Her Highness."

A hundred questions raced through the dark knight's mind but he knew that now was not the time to pursue them; the well-being of the empress came first. He nodded quickly in the other Knight's direction and left the hall.

**SSSSSS**

"How is she?" Suzaku asked as he removed his mask and watch Sayako gently wiped Nunnally's brow with a warm, damp cloth. The empress lay unconscious but alive on her bed in the imperial royal chamber as Sayako and numerous other maids tended to her after changing her out of her bloodstained gown. Since she could not bathe in her current condition, the only way they could clean her was by wiping the blood, dirt and debris from the bomb with damp, warm towels while a physician was called for to sew the wound on her leg; Sayako dismissed him after it was determined that Nunnally's life was not in danger.

"She had a close call" the chief maid said softly as she squeezed the dirty water from the towel in her hands into a bowl on Nunnally's night table near her bedside where she sat. From what I was told, the bomb was under the main table in the banquet hall; luckily she stood far enough or she would have been killed instantly."

Suzaku breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank God… will she be all right?"

"Her life does not appear to be in any danger, thanks to that suitor…and you. Though I strongly suggest she avoid putting weight on that leg for a while." Sayako answered as she wiped the sweat from her own brow with her sleeve. She and the other maids had lost track of time while caring for Nunnally but were certain that they must have been at it for at least a few hours and all of them could use a break now that they were sure the empress was going to live.

Realizing his insensitivity just now, Suzaku sighed as he smacked the side of his head in self-disgust. Nunnally obviously wasn't the only one affected by the explosion. "I'm sorry, please forgive my rudeness, but are you alright, Sayako? I know you were in the banquet hall as well when the bomb went off."

The chief maid smiled, unoffended. "Not at all; you are right to be concerned for the empress. She is Britannia's hope for a better future so her safety is first priority for all of us. Besides, I am fine; it looks like the one most seriously hurt by this is Nunnally herself." Sayako frowned as she looked up into Suzaku's eyes. Though she said nothing, the Knight knew what she was thinking for he came to the same realization as well.

"Whoever did this… I have no doubt they will try again once it gets out the empress is still alive."

Suzaku nodded in agreement. "This isn't just a spur-of-the moment thing. I'm sure whoever planted that bomb must have planned it for some time now."

"Do you have any idea who it could be?" Sayako asked, her brows furrowing in concern.

"Unfortunately, the list of suspects is pretty long. After all, Nunnally is an Empress of Britannia. The culprit or culprits could be anyone; though she is popular with the people I'm sure there are still those who wish to see her dead just because she happens to be the daughter and sister of two of the most reviled emperors in history."

The maid's shoulders slumped; as much as she hated to admit it, Suzaku was right. Finding the culprit was not going to be quick or easy.

"Do you have any idea where to start at least?" she asked.

He honestly didn't and the dark knight was going to say so when he just remembered his brief exchange of words with Jeremiah before bringing the empress to her chamber. From what the other Knight told him, it seemed like he knew something and Suzaku was damned if he was going to let the least bit of information pass him by.

"I think I do. Lord Jeremiah asked me to come see him after I made sure the empress was safe. I think he knows something and it looks like he and I will be having a long talk. I will be back later to check on Nunnally; please watch her for me until then."

"Of course, my lord. Please keep me informed; Nunnally is every bit my responsibility as she is yours."

"I will. And thank you, Sayako, for being there for her. I know it hasn't been easy for you to give up your right to your family's dojo and leave Japan to live here."

The maid laughed. "Not at all; it's an honor to serve Nunnally. Like you, I never felt like I was bound here; I've always wanted to be here with her since she is like a little sister to me. And besides, I'm sure my younger brother will make just as good a successor to the Shinozaki School as I would have."

Suzaku smiled and bowed to the chief maid. "I see. I'm glad you feel that way. Thank you again for everything you've done; I must take leave of you now. Please excuse me, my lady."

Sayako responded with a slight nod of her head as she watched the Knight turn and leave the royal chamber.

**SSSSSS**

"This had better be good" Suzaku said in a low voice as he entered the meeting room of the Knights of the Round with his mask under his arm. There was no need for it here as every member of Nunnally's inner circle knew who he really was. Upon entering, he went straight to the point, having no patience for formalities.

The new Knights of One and Two, Jeremiah Gottwald and Gino Weinburg, stopped their conversation and looked towards the direction of the Knight of Zero, their leader, as he made his entrance. This was different from the usual chivalrous manner Suzaku showed when addressing his fellow Knights but both knew that with the new threat to the empress, they could not afford to waste any time since both were present when the bombing took place. Jeremiah stood while Gino remained seated and from what Suzaku could see, there was a small pile of letters on the table before them as well as another in Jeremiah's hand.

The other two Knights looked at each other for a moment before turning to Suzaku. Both looked as if they wanted to say something but hesitated as if they weren't sure how to say it. Not waiting for them to speak, Suzaku demanded answers.

"If you two know something about this, you had better let me in on it" he growled in a dangerous tone of voice as he pointed a shaking finger at his colleagues. As if in response to his inquiry, Jeremiah silently handed him the letter he was holding in his hand earlier.

Taking the letter, Suzaku's expression changed from displeasure to confusion. "What is this?" he asked.

"See for yourself" his friend pointed out.

Suzaku looked down almost choked at what he saw. It was a death threat, the individual letters being cut out from other articles and pasted onto the paper so that the culprit's handwriting could not be recognized. There was a crudely drawn picture of a woman's mutilated corpse lying in a pool of blood with the words below it:

_Empress Beware_

For a moment, Suzaku could not say a word. All he could do was stare at Jeremiah and Gino in shock.

"Yeah, that was our reaction when we saw it. And the other letters that came before it" Gino said nervously, twiddling his thumbs as he looked down, avoiding Suzaku's eyes.

The Knight scowled as he turned back to Jeremiah. "What other letters?" he demanded.

After hesitating for a moment, the Knight of One turned back to the table, picked up the rest of the letters, about a dozen in number, and handed them to Suzaku. "These starting coming about six months ago" he explained "The most recent having been delivered just yesterday before the attack."

Suzaku flipped through the older letters in his hand, looking at each carefully, hoping to find some clue as to the identity of the culprit behind the bombing and was disappointed when he found none. He hadn't felt this sick inside since he ran this best friend through with his sword on that fateful day three years ago; the dark knight practically had to force himself to look at the letters. All had bloody, graphic images of what he believed to be Nunnally's corpse accompanied by worded death threats, some short, others long, but always the same message.

"Are you two the only ones who know of this?" he asked.

"Just us and the servant boy who picks up the palace's mail" Gino answered, looking up.

"Why, that little punk…!"

"Don't be angry with him" Gino pleaded "He was only following our orders."

"He brought the letters to our attention when the first one came months ago. We didn't think it would be good for this to leak out so we ordered him not to tell anyone. No one else knows because he never misses a shift and brings the letters directly to us as soon as they arrive" Jeremiah explained. The Knight tried to pacify his leader but Suzaku had heard enough; he was absolutely furious.

"My God, how could you keep such a thing from me!?" He exploded.

The other two Knights winced before their leader's anger, partly because they knew they were wrong for keeping him in the dark.

"Forgive us" Jeremiah apologized quickly. "It's not because we thought you incompetent, we just didn't want to worry the empress. We also didn't think it was serious enough to concern you since this guy hasn't actually done anything but send letters until now."

"We thought it was just a prank, some wacko's idea of a joke" Gino added, clearing his throat. That comment earned him a glare from Jeremiah. The Knight of Two may have been a strong and gallant warrior but has proven himself to be not-so-bright on more then one occasion; the man had an unfortunate tendency to say the wrong thing at the wrong time and making a bad situation even worse.

"Dammit, if there's ever ANY danger to the empress, I should be the _first_ to know, not the _last_!" It took all of Suzaku's self-control to keep himself from tearing the room apart in his rage.

"Of course, we understand." Jeremiah took Suzaku by the shoulders in a tight grip and looked straight into his emerald eyes as if his gaze could calm his leader. "Look" he said firmly "We're both sorry we didn't tell you this sooner, we truly are. But what's done is done. Right now, our first priority is to find the culprit before he strikes again."

As angry as he was, Suzaku knew his friend was right. Forcing himself to calm down, he said "All right."

Relieved, Jeremiah let out a brief sigh of relief. "Good" he said. We need to get to work on finding suspects but before that, we must inform Princess Cornelia and the other Knights of the Round. We have to find this guy quick and we'll be needing all the help we can get. I'm sure you can agree with me on that."

The Knight had to agree. "Fine" he said "Leave it to me, I will tell them. You two, I want you to keep quiet about this until I decide what to do next. The servants must not know of this and I don't want it leaking beyond the palace walls."

"Agreed" the other two Knights said in unison.

**A/N: So now the plot becomes more apparent. I hope I didn't take too long to bring it to the surface! Please review as suggestions are always welcome! ; )**


	6. 5: Difficult Discussions

**Chapter 5: Difficult Discussions**

Cornelia looked up from her desk as she heard a soft knock on her office door. It was a quarter to midnight and most of the palace's inhabitants were asleep, exhausted from the chaotic events of the day. She would have slept as well if she could but recent events as well as her position would not allow her to. As she had told Suzaku, an assassination attempt on the empress was a serious matter that needed to be discussed as soon as possible.

"Come in" she called. She didn't need to ask who it was; she was expecting only one person at this hour. The door opened quietly as the leader of Knights of the Round entered, clad in his elegant dress uniform.

"Please forgive me for coming at such a late hour" Suzaku apologized "I had to see to the empress as well as speak to my fellow Knights."

"There is no need to apologize; please have a seat, Lord Kururugi."

The dark knight wasted no time in pulling out a chair and seating himself across the desk from the Britannian commander-in-chief.

"Before I say anything, may I ask what the damage report is?"

Cornelia placed her elbows on her desk and rested her chin on her folded hands as she answered "We were fortunate; the bomb was small and simple so there were no fatalities. A couple of people have suffered broken limbs but no one has been seriously hurt. The banquet hall, however, has taken considerable damage and might take a month and quite a bit of money to repair."

"I see…that is unfortunate. But I supposed we should be grateful that no one was killed or seriously hurt."

"Right… now please tell me, what have you found?"

Taking a deep breath, Suzaku went over his findings. "Lady Sayako tells me the empress has not been seriously hurt though she might have a little difficulty walking for a while. I also spoke with Lords Jeremiah and Gino and they have revealed something very disturbing to me."

Reaching into the inner pocket of his blue jacket, Suzaku pulled out the letters given to him by the Knight of One and handed them to Cornelia. She took them and examined each one slowly as Suzaku watched in silence. The commander-in-chief was a battle-hardened soldier who has seen many horrors on the battlefield in her time but even she could not help repressing a shudder as she looked the death threats over; the letters said little yet spoke volumes.

"Are you sure?" she asked in a low voice as she handed the small stack of letters back to him. "Does she know?'

Suzaku shook his head. "No" he answered quietly "I didn't even know until now. No one did; it was only when I spoke to Jeremiah and Gino earlier this evening did I find out." Cornelia raised her brows at this surprising revelation.

"They didn't tell you? Why?" she asked curiously.

"Long story" he answered, rolling his eyes "They said they didn't want the empress to worry and didn't think it was serious enough to concern me, their leader. But they were wrong, dead wrong. I was furious; I couldn't believe they kept it from me but there's nothing I can do about that now."

"Right" Cornelia agreed as she leaned back in her chair. Honestly, I must say I'm upset with them as well but we can't worry about that now; our first priority is finding this stalker but before we do that, we must inform the other Knights as well as Nunnally herself."

Suzaku winced as soon as his empress was mentioned. Though he tried to hide his discomfort, he could not fool Cornelia; the woman was far too perceptive for that.

"What's wrong?' she asked.

The dark knight looked down nervously and rested his forehead on the knuckles of his folded hands, trying to avoid her gaze. "I prefer the empress not know of this" he said in a low voice "She's still recuperating from her injuries and has enough worries on her mind as it is."

Cornelia's expression softened as she leaned forward and gently placed a hand on his shoulder. In the four years that she had known Suzaku, she had developed a great respect and admiration for the Japanese youth who fought racial discrimination and inequality and rose from the position of a lowly private in the Britannian army to the honored position of leader of the Knights of the Round. Seeing the courageous devotion and loyal service he had showed to Euphemia and later Nunnally over the years had changed her distrust and negative feelings towards foreigners. Now she respected and trusted him even more then most full-blooded Britannians and was sure that Lord Jeremiah felt the same way as well.

"I know you don't want to scare her or make her worry" she began gently "But this is a serious matter and you can't protect her or be responsible for her safety until she understands what's going on."

Suzaku raised his head and forced himself to look Cornelia in the eye. "You're right…but I'm not sure how to tell her."

"Do you want me to tell her?"

The dark knight was silent for a few moments. Cornelia's offer was tempting; he didn't want to deal with having to tell Nunnally that she now had a stalker and that he didn't even know who it was. It would be so much easier to have someone else tell her just so that he wouldn't have to see her reaction for that was what he was afraid of. But something about it didn't seem right and he couldn't bring himself to agree.

Suzaku shook his head. "No…" he said. "I thank you for the offer but I don't feel that it's right for me to ask it of you since I am her personal knight and chief protector. If she has to know then I should be the one to tell her; it's my obligation… and duty."

Cornelia removed her hand from his shoulder. "Very well" she said "I will leave it to you. We're going to need help finding the suspect and protecting the empress. I will speak to Anya; you should speak to Kallen."

Suzaku nearly jumped in surprise at the mention of the Stadtfeld girl. "Why?" he asked nervously. "Why don't you speak with her and I speak with Anya instead?"

Cornelia shook her head. "No" she said firmly. "If she is going to help us, it is important that you straighten out your differences with her. I know you two haven't always been on the best of terms but if we are going to protect the empress, it is important that we be able to fully trust and cooperate with each other."

Suzaku cringed at the thought. Now he had not only one, but two difficult discussions to go over with two people, both of whom were important to him. He wanted to protest but he knew Cornelia was right. Slumping his shoulders and lowering his head in defeat, he gave out a sigh "All right. I will speak with Lady Kallen… and Empress Nunnally."

Cornelia smiled "Good" she said. "You don't have to do it right now; it's late and I'm sure both of them are already asleep; you can do it in the morning. Once everyone is informed, we will have a meeting to determine our next course of action."

The dark knight nodded as he stood up from his chair and bowed to the commander-in-chief. "Of course" he said. "I will get to it first thing tomorrow. Thank you for seeing me at this late hour, I appreciate it. Have a good night, my lady."

"You too, Suzaku. Sleep well."

**SSSSSS**

"Lady Kallen, may I please have a moment of your time? It's me, Suzaku." The Knight of Zero called as he rapped on the door to her chamber. He was certain she was awake; the Stadtfeld girl almost never slept past seven and he was hoping to catch her before she went down to the palace's temporary dining hall for breakfast. Fortunately, he was just in time; the door opened and he stood face-to-face with the new Knight of Four.

"Yes, my lord?" Kallen yawned sleepily as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Dressed in a white robe, she looked as if she had been asleep until Suzaku came knocking on her door. She knew he would come to speak to her about the assassination attempt on Nunnally eventually but wasn't expecting him to show up right at her chamber door this early in the morning; she had hoped that he would at least wait until breakfast but guessed it couldn't be helped if he had to see her now.

Suzaku frowned as he took in her unkempt appearance. "I'm sorry, did I wake you? I know it's a little early but there is something important I need to talk to you about."

Kallen shook her head as she opened the door to her chamber and beckoned for him to enter. She didn't mind that her leader saw her out of uniform considering the fact that he's seen her naked before. "No, it's all right. With everything that's happening, it's important that we act as soon as possible" she said and closed the door behind him as soon as he entered. Pulling a chair from her desk, she sat down and made a gesture for him to speak.

The dark knight was relieved to see that she wasn't upset at his unannounced visit. Over the last three years, he had managed to build a somewhat successful working relationship with the former officer of the Black Knights when she became accepted as a member of the Knights of the Round. After Japan had become an independent nation with its own government, the Black Knights were no longer needed and disbanded, their top officials becoming members of the new Prime Minister, Kaname Ohgi's, cabinet while lesser members returned to their normal lives.

The only exception was Kallen Kozuki Stadtfeld. She alone was offered a position in the Knights of the Round by Nunnally as a reward for her loyal service to Lelouch to the near end. Kallen almost declined if not for her mother's suggestion; being a Knight of the Round was not only a highly prestigious profession, but also a very well-paying career as well. With it, she was able to secure a comfortable life for herself and her mother without having to depend on her father and his family whom she distrusted. Kallen did not have a problem serving the Britannia under Nunnally's rule for it was a different empire then the one under her father and brother's; the empress had made her Knight of Four in place of the deceased Dorothea Ernst after making Anya Alstreim Knight of Three.

Wasting no time, Suzaku went straight to the point. "It's about the bombing incident yesterday. I thought that it was just a one-time assassination attempt on the empress but I was wrong. I just learned from Gino and Jeremiah that someone has been following and sending death threats to Nunnally for the last few months."

Upon hearing this, the Knight of Four raised her brows. "So what you're basically saying is that she has a stalker."

"Yes. And the worse part is that I have no idea who it is; at least for now. Nunnally's position makes the list of suspects long and I need help narrowing it down."

Kallen was silent for a moment as she took in her leader's words. "Correct me if I'm wrong" she began slowly "But are you _asking_ for my help?"

"Yes."

The Knight of Four looked at him with curiosity. Suzaku had never asked anything of her until now; he never had to, especially with the differences in their ranks, so why would he do so now?

"You know you don't have to ask me" she said "You are my commanding officer, my superior. If you tell me to aid you in your search for this killer and protect the empress, I will obey regardless of my personal feelings."

Suzaku had to put some effort into keeping a look of frustration from showing on his face; the girl was completely missing the point and it annoyed him to no end. Out of all his subordinates, Kallen Kozuki Stadtfeld was the one he had the most difficulty communicating with. It was not because the Knight of Four did not accept him as her leader; she had never once disobeyed his orders but their conflicts in the past made it difficult for them to be frank and talk freely with each other. Up until now, all their conversations have been quite formal and somewhat distant; they almost never spoke when off duty.

"I know…" he began slowly. "But I don't want to order you to do this. Look Kallen, I know you and I got off on the wrong foot"- a bit of an understatement and they both knew it- but he had to ignore that little fact for now and continued "But just this once, can't we set aside our petty differences for Nunnally's sake? If we're going to protect her, we need to be able to communicate freely with each other without holding back so I'm asking you, Kallen, will you help me?"

The Knight of Four was silent for a moment as if processing her leader's words. It was only for a brief moment but to Suzaku, it felt like an eternity. It wasn't easy for him, but he was glad he was finally able to make his point clear to her. He inwardly sighed with relief when she got up and gave the answer he was hoping for.

"Of course" she said. "I will do everything in my power to assist you. My loyalty is to the empress, to Nunnally; I have grown to love her like a sister as she has been so good to me and to my mother. I wouldn't be where I am now if it weren't for her…and Lelouch" she added, her voice falling into a whisper at the thought of her previous leader. Kallen would never admit it to anyone, but another reason for her devotion to Nunnally was guilt over her betrayal of Lelouch; even though the empress was dear to her personally, she also saw her service to Nunnally as a small penance to her brother as well as her way of honoring his memory.

"Thank you, I'm glad you understand. Now that everyone is informed, I must tell the empress herself." At that remark, Kallen looked at Suzaku in surprise.

"You mean, she doesn't know? You haven't told her?"

The dark knight looked down, avoiding her questioning gaze. "Not yet. I just discovered it myself recently but I don't want to get into that. As soon I inform Her Highness, we have to meet with Cornelia and the other Knights to discuss our next course of action, namely, looking for suspects."

"I see… well, then I suggest you get to it. The empress has been in bed for a while now; she should be waking up soon. It would be best if you were the one to explain things to her as I'm sure she will have questions…"

Suzaku wished Kallen didn't mention that for he didn't need to be reminded, but pushed the thought away as he prepared to leave. "Thank you for your time; I am grateful for your help. I must take leave of you now, my lady. Come to our meeting room at noon; I will be waiting for you."

"Of course. See you then, my lord."


	7. 6: The Usual Suspects

**Chapter 6: The Usual Suspects**

"_Ok, now let's take it easy; just follow my lead, one, two, three…"_

_Nunnally held on fast to Suzaku's arms as she rose from her wheelchair and stood for the first time in almost a decade. The dark knight chose the spacious imperial garden so that the empress would be comfortable in her attempt to stand and walk without fear of knocking things over. He also had the garden closed off to the public temporarily so that they would have privacy as he was sure she would not feel comfortable having anyone see her first attempts to walk._

_The young empress blushed in embarrassment as she found herself wobbling on her frail legs like a toddler trying to walk for the first time; it was to be expected after being confined to a wheelchair for so long. More then once she stumbled but her knight made sure never to let her fall. Looking at his patient smile and feeling him hold her in his strong arms gave her assurance even though she was nervous at first. _

"_I'm scared…" she whimpered. _

"_Don't be" he said gently. "You can do it, we just need to take it once step at a time."_

_And they did. Nunnally felt the muscles in her legs tingle as they slowly gained strength and moved her body forward. Suzaku smiled when he saw that they were making progress, slowly but surely. He knew it was going to take a little more time before the empress could walk on her own again but at the rate they were going, it would not be long._

_Step one, step two, step three…_

"_Ok…" the young empress said softly as she smiled brightly and did her best to follow her knight's lead…_

**SSSSSS**

"Your Highness, are you awake?"

Nunnally slowly opened her eyes upon hearing Sayako's soft, gentle voice. She was having a dream of the past when she awoke and found herself in bed with her chief handmaiden by her bedside.

"What am I doing here? What happened?" the young empress sat up and looked around in confusion. The last thing she remembered was speaking to one of her suitors in the banquet hall and the next thing she knew she was in her chamber, lying in bed.

Sayako frowned. Of course, Nunnally had no recollection of the bombing as it had happened so fast and unexpectedly that it took everyone completely by surprise. Taking a deep breath, the maid went over everything that had happened as she remembered it.

"What! Who? Why?" Startled, the empress tried to get up and winced when she felt a sharp pain in her thigh.

"Careful!" Sayako warned as she quickly got up and caught Nunnally before she fell to the floor. "My Empress…Nunnally, you must not push it or you will really hurt yourself. Wait for me to get you a crutch."

"That won't be necessary, Sayako."

The empress and maid looked towards the direction of the voice and found Suzaku standing in the doorway with a wooden crutch under his arm. It looked like he was expecting this and already had a crutch prepared.

"Suzaku! What's going on here?" the empress demanded.

The dark knight shifted uncomfortably. He really preferred not to tell Nunnally anything but knew that was impossible. Like Cornelia said, she must know the truth in order for him to protect her. After placing the crutch against the wall, Suzaku pulled out a chair and took a seat near Nunnally's bedside next to Sayako.

"This isn't easy for me to say" he began "But the bombing incident was not your typical assassination attempt. I had just discovered that someone has been following you and planning this for months. I don't know who this person is yet but I am working on finding out. I will soon meet with Cornelia and the other Knights of the Round to discuss a plan." Suzaku did his best to keep his explanation as simple as possible. He didn't want to frighten his empress any more then necessary so thought it best not to show her the letters or go into too much detail.

Nunnally stared at him for a moment as she silently processed his revelation. To the surprise of her knight and maid, she did not appear as shocked as they expected. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised that there would eventually be attempts on my life" she began slowly "I am an empress after all. The question now is what am I to do? I can't let this keep me from fulfilling my duty; I have an obligation and responsibility to Britannia and her people."

Sayako gently took Nunnally's hands in her own. "You're right. But that is all the more reason you must look out for yourself. We know you value your privacy but now that you have a stalker, you cannot be left alone; please promise us that you will not go off anywhere on your own as you have done in the past."

Nunnally frowned. The thought of being heavily guarded day and night everywhere she went was unappealing to say the least, but she knew Sayako was right. She wouldn't be any good to Britannia if she recklessly got herself killed, not to mention the grief she would cause her loved ones.

Lowering her head in defeat, the empress said quietly "Okay. I promise."

The maid and knight gave a small sigh of relief. Having the empress's cooperation and understanding would make their task much easier and for that, they were grateful. Suzaku got up and made his way for the door. It was almost noon and time for him to meet up with Cornelia and other Knights as he had planned.

"I must go now, the others are waiting for me" he announced "Sayako, please stay with the empress as I can see that she is not yet well enough to leave her chamber. I have already arranged for additional guards and I trust you can hold your own until I decide what to do."

Sayako nodded. "Of course, my lord; leave the empress to me." It was no secret that this martial arts master was one of Nunnally's most competent bodyguards as well as the head of the palace's servants. At a time like this it was indeed convenient that she could protect the empress as well as tend to her personal needs.

The dark knight bowed to them both as he prepared to take his leave. "Thank you, Your Highness, my lady. I must take my leave of you now; please take care until my return." And with that, he turned and left the chamber.

**SSSSSS**

Suzaku was greeted with silence as he entered the meeting room of the Knights of the Round. As he expected, Cornelia as well as the rest of the Knights were present as they awaited his arrival. No one said anything about him being the last to arrive as he was the one with the uncomfortable task of explaining the situation to Nunnally. Even so, the dark knight bowed and apologized to his colleagues.

"Forgive my tardiness."

"There is no need to apologize" Cornelia began. "We know it wasn't easy for you to break the news to the empress. How did she take it?"

Suzaku pulled out a chair and sat down. "She took it better then I thought" he said in relief as he folded his hands on the table. "Having her cooperation and understanding will make this easier for us. I left her in Sayako's care as she is still not well enough to leave her chamber. Anyhow, I have gathered you all here for a reason; we all know of the recent assassination attempt on the empress which requires immediate action. We must arrange to have security around the palace tightened and it will be necessary to send the guests home as well before we can begin our search for the culprit."

"Unfortunately, finding him or her will not be easy" Cornelia began as she rested her chin on her folded hands. The empress's position makes the list of suspects quite long but we can narrow it down by looking at the clues."

Gino scratched his head. He knew he wasn't the brightest of people but still tried to be as helpful as possible. "My first guess was that the stalker is a suitor that the empress turned down. I do not feel that many people would have political motivations to kill her due to her popularity with the people."

"That is true but even the most benevolent and well-liked of rulers will have enemies. Suzaku, do you still have the letters I gave you?" Jeremiah asked "There might be a clue in them."

Suzaku hesitated. He preferred not to look at them if he could help it. "I already looked" he protested. "I haven't found anything in them that could help us identify the stalker."

"Perhaps it's because you've searched for the wrong clues" Anya pointed out. "Let us see; there's a chance one of us may catch something you might have missed." Everyone looked at the pink-haired girl in surprise. Though she was the youngest among them, the Knight of Three showed surprising thoughtfulness and wisdom beyond her years. With her gentle demeanor, she managed to persuade the dark knight to place the letters on the table for the rest of them to see.

As the only ones who have not yet seen the death threats, Anya and Kallen looked them over with great interest.

After a moment of silence, Kallen said softly "I do not believe that the stalker is a person with political motivations." Now all attention was focused on her.

"And what makes you think that?" Cornelia asked.

"Looking at these letters…I can sense them to be the work of someone with a deep and personal hatred of the empress; a political assassin would not take the trouble of trying to terrorize his victim with death threats or risk exposing himself by dropping clues such as these" the Knight of Four answered. Three years ago, Kallen would not have been able to notice such a thing but Lelouch had indirectly and unknowingly taught her the power of critical thinking and for that, she was grateful.

"A deep, personal hatred…" Gino pondered "So could it be a suitor? After all, there are men out there who don't take rejection very well…"

Though it seemed a possibility, Suzaku did not feel it was the case. "It does not seem likely. I believe it would be very hard for a high-ranking prince or noble to plan something like this without being noticed unless he acted completely alone which is near impossible because he'd be too conspicuous. He would have needed help and the more people involved, the greater his risk of getting caught."

"True" Cornelia agreed "Especially if it's a foreigner. No way could one come to the palace unnoticed. Competition for the empress's hand is also fierce so other suitors would have happily turned him in if he was discovered."

"If it is not a suitor, then my next guess would be a member of the royal family; someone who would benefit from the empress's death" Kallen pointed out "Even though they are all geassed to obey her and Suzaku, we can't rule out the possibility due to the fact that someone _had_ attempted an assassination."

"Good point" Jeremiah agreed "We also can't rule out anyone else who resides within the royal palace; only someone who's able to move about freely within could have planted that bomb. This means that we have to question everyone, especially the new servants Lady Sayako hired over the last few months."

"Then it's settled" Suzaku said. "Cornelia and I will start questioning the other royals tonight. As for the servants…"

"Leave them to the rest of us" Anya finished, practically reading his mind.

"Thank you… this meeting is adjourned. As soon as any of you find anything, please report to either Cornelia or myself."

"Understood."

**SSSSSS**

"You summoned me, my lord?" Schneizel el Britannia, second prince of the Britannian Imperial Family bowed politely to Suzaku and Cornelia upon entering the office of the Britannian commander-in-chief.

Cornelia remained seated at her desk while the Knight of Zero preferred to stand. He knew it was going to be a long night even though he would be questioning only members of the royal family starting with the man he believed to his number one suspect.

Though Nunnally had long since forgiven and pardoned her half-brother for his deceit and betrayal all those years ago, Suzaku still could not bring himself to trust the man who used her as a trump card in his fight against Lelouch for the Britannian throne and he felt that his empress was too generous in allowing Schneizel to retain his royal status and reside in the Imperial Palace with her. He only tolerated the man because it was Nunnally's wish but with the recent bombing incident, was almost too glad to have a reason to interrogate him.

"Yes, Prince Schneizel. You and the rest of the royal family were present when the bombing took place. I want to ask if you know anything about it."

The prince shook his head "I am sorry, but I do not" he answered. His revelation greatly surprised both Suzaku and Cornelia as they believed him to have the strongest motive for killing the empress. Due to the geass placed upon him by Lelouch to obey Nunnally and Suzaku, they both knew Schneizel could not lie to the Knight of Zero no matter how much he may want to.

Cornelia leaned forward from her desk. "Could it be that you really don't know?" she asked in a whisper, more to herself then her half-brother.

"Then do you know anyone else who might know anything? Anyone at all?" Suzaku pressed.

Again the prince shook his head. "I am sorry, but I do not" he repeated.

The dark knight gave out a sigh of frustration. He knew Schneizel was telling the truth and that nothing more can be learned from him. "Very well, then. Thank you for your time, Prince Schneizel. You are dismissed."

The prince bowed before the Knight of Zero. "You're welcome, my lord. Have a good night." And with that, he turned and left the office.

When the prince was gone, Suzaku seated himself at the corner of Cornelia's desk and ran a hand through his dark hair in frustration. "If it's not him, then who could it be?" he asked to no one in particular.

"Calm down" Cornelia said. We still have other members of the royal family to question. And even if we cannot get anything from them, Jeremiah and the rest are still working on the guards and servants though it may take a week or so to question all 1,500 of them."

The dark knight stood up. "You're right, my lady" he said. "Let's send for the others."

And they did. As the evening wore on, Suzaku and Cornelia had the other imperial princes and princesses brought in for questioning one after the other. Like Schneizel, they were all under Lelouch's geass and could not lie to Suzaku. This made it all the more frustrating when he discovered that none of them knew any more then the second prince.

After Carline, the final suspect was dismissed, it was well passed midnight and the Knight of Zero was sorely disappointed with the lack of progress. Though she was just as disappointed, Cornelia still had hopes.

"It's all right, Suzaku. We still have the other palace inhabitants to question. It will take a little time but I have hopes that we'll find someone who knows something."

The Knight of Zero nodded even though he knew that the servants and guards were even less likely suspects since none of them would particularly benefit from Nunnally's death.

"I know" he said. Turning, he bowed to Cornelia "Thank you for your help, my lady. It is late and I should take my leave. Have a good night."

"You too, Suzaku. Sleep well."

Later as he laid in bed trying to sleep, the dark knight found himself disturbed by a nagging feeling he couldn't describe. He had already questioned everyone he believed to be a likely suspect so why did he have the feeling he was missing something?

**A/N: Ok, suspect not so obvious, is it? ; ) I know there are still a lot of unanswered questions but I will answer them all as the story progresses so please be patient! And thank you so much for the reviews, I really appreciate them!**


	8. 7: Dangerously Close

**Chapter 7: Dangerously Close**

Sleep did not come easy for Suzaku that night. Or the next few nights for that matter. The assassination attempt on the empress drew wide media attention as well as wide-spread concern. While he and the rest of his fellow Knights arranged for tighter security, Cornelia had her hands full with answering the press as well as sending the guests from the Chinese Federation home early with her most profound apologies. The only good that came from the situation was the royal council ceasing to pressure Nunnally into marriage when it was discovered that her life was in danger and that finding her stalker was now first priority.

As for the empress herself, Nunnally was placed under heavy guard and strongly discouraged from leaving the palace grounds which she found frustrating but complied because she promised Suzaku and Sayako. It took her three years to finally get used to being accompanied by bodyguards in public but now that she had to be guarded within her own home as well, she could not help feeling suffocated; the fact that she had to lean on a crutch while waiting for her leg to heal did not help as it made her even more vulnerable. The feeling was even worse then being pressured to choose a husband but she had to bear with it as best as she could.

On the evening of the fourth night after the attack, Nunnally retired to her chamber early and attempted to relax and forget her stressful situation with a bath and afterwards, reading an e-mail from Empress Tianzi on her laptop while sitting in bed and sipping a cup of hot tea. News got around quick, as she discovered upon reading her friend's e-mail; the Chinese empress knew everything and offered an apology as well as her condolence and support.

_My Dear Nunnally,_

_I have recently received news about the attempt on your life and am relieved to know that you are not seriously hurt. I wish to offer you my sincerest apologies and support and though I do not believe that any of my nobles are responsible for the attack, I will nonetheless conduct my own investigation among them. Rest assured, if one of my own is responsible, I will find him and deal with him accordingly. Until then, please take care and be safe; you are Britannia's great hope and I wish for your happiness._

_Your friend,_

_Tianzi _

Nunnally smiled and let out a sigh of relief as she closed her laptop. _Thank you, my friend_ she thought. It was not going to be easy living as she was until her stalker was caught but just knowing that she had the protection and support of her closest friends and allies made her feel a lot better.

"How are you feeling, Your Highness?" Nunnally looked up as she saw Sayako enter the room with a basket of clean laundry in her arms. The empress set aside her laptop and reached out for the laundry as her friend came near. Sticking her hands in the basket, she started pulling the clean clothes out to fold one by one. Of course, this did not go unnoticed by the chief maid and she protested. "Your Highness! It is not fitting for the ruler of an empire to perform such menial tasks. Please leave it to me." But Nunnally would hear none of it. No matter what her position, she was never the kind to sit idly by and let others toil when she had nothing else to do. If she was free, she always helped out.

"You know me, Sayako; I don't like seeing others work while I do nothing and it's not like I have anything important to do right now. Besides, I need some distraction so I don't think too much about everything that's been going on or otherwise, I'll go crazy with anxiety." Sayako knew that arguing with the young empress was useless so she allowed Nunnally to do as she wished; the girl was just as stubborn as her late brother and they both knew it. So she decided to change the subject as she helped out with the clothes.

"Are you alright, Nunnally? I know it's not easy to go about your life with all that's been going on but try to hang in there; Suzaku and the Knights as well as myself are doing everything we can to get to the bottom of this." Now that the empress was temporarily partially crippled, Sayako gave Suzaku her word that she would watch Nunnally while he and the other Knights searched for her stalker.

"I'd be lying if I said I was perfectly fine but I'll manage. It's not like I never expected that something like this might happen when I took the throne; it is a risk that every ruler takes. No matter what; I can't let anything keep me from performing my royal duties." The chief maid said nothing but smiled inwardly. She knew Nunnally was trying to be strong, just like her late brother even though deep down, she was scared though she was damned if she was going to admit it to anyone, including herself. Sayako knew her better then that as she knew her brother. Lelouch was long past fearing death, having lead armies into battle and having countless brushes with it himself. Nunnally was different; she had never commanded troops or seen a battlefield and was far more vulnerable and easily shaken. Knowing this, Sayako swore that as long as there was breath in her body, she would protect her empress with her life.

**SSSSSS**

"Anna! Will you stop idling and help me out here?" The maid named Anna pretended not to hear her friend calling as she admired the beautiful silken red gown on the mannequin in front of her. She and a few other maids were organizing the room where all the gifts given to the empress was being kept for the time being. With all the commotion, Nunnally had not yet had the chance to look them over. Gifts from her suitors included gowns, jewelry, perfumes, bath oils, and countless other exotic finery. None captivated Anna like the gown before her. Made of pure Chinese silk, the scarlet gown had graceful dragon and phoenix patterns in gold that made it practically impossible to resist. Though she knew it could never be hers, the maid felt the overwhelming temptation to put it on, if only for a few moments, to see herself in the mirror with it.

"Anna!"

The young maid was snapped out of her trance for a brief moment. "I'll be there in a minute, Marie" she called. Marie looked up from her task of putting the empress's perfumes away in a trunk and saw her friend eyeballing the forbidden gown. Though Anna said not a word, she knew exactly what the girl was thinking.

"Forget it, Anna."

"Oh, come on! Just for a moment!"

Marie shook her head. "You should not try them on; they are the empress's gowns. Now stop idling and help me with this. We still have to report to Lady Sayako after we're done here."

Anna complied and helped Marie and the other maids finish organizing the empress's storage room. When everything was done, the group left the room to report to their supervisor. Unknown to them, Anna stayed behind; her friends were in such a hurry that they did not notice. Looking back at the scarlet gown on the mannequin, the young maid smiled mischievously. Just for a moment; it can't hurt, could it?

"Here is today's report, Lady Sayako" Marie handed the chief maid an electronic journal of the day's servant activities. Though Sayako loathed leaving Nunnally's side even for a moment, she knew she had her own duties to perform as the person in charge of the palace maintenance staff. Her duties aside from protecting her empress included writing schedules, managing payroll, and keeping track of the servants' activities as well as hiring new staff and dismissing those who performed poorly. With the recent assassination attempt; Sayako insisted that all servant activity be documented and reported no matter how minuscule. It was the best she could do considering that she could not protect Nunnally and watch every servant's every move at the same time. But she was sharp and quick to notice if something among them was amiss.

"Marie, where's Anna?" Sayako demanded. All the maids from Nunnally's storage room have been gathered at her office except Anna.

"What the...?" Marie turned around and finally noticed that Anna was missing. The other maids looked around and at each other in confusion. In their haste to report to Sayako, no one had noticed that Anna was not among them. Knowing her friend, it didn't take the young maid long to figure things out. "Don't tell me she…!"

"What is it, Marie?" Sayako asked "Do you know where Anna is?" The maid nodded.

"I'm afraid I do. Please wait a few moments, Lady Sayako, I will get her right away!" And with that, the young maid turned and ran out of the office.

"Wait!" Sayako called. But it was too late, Marie was gone. The chief maid had a bad feeling about this and did not feel like waiting for her subordinate to return so she dismissed the others and went after her.

**SSSSSS**

Anna could not say a word as she looked at herself in the mirror. The gown was beautiful and she looked lovely in it. The empress herself could not look lovelier in her opinion. The maid could not help but quiver with jealously. Why should Nunnally have it? She obviously did not appreciate and took her splendid gifts for granted. The fact that the empress stored them in this dusty room without even looking at them proves such. Anna swore that if she owned such things including this gown, she would be more then happy to relish and show them off. She gave a sad sigh as she shook off her thoughts. There was no point in having them as she knew that the gown could never be hers. She had her moment with it and now it was time to put it back but not before one last look.

As she spun around to admire the side and back of the gown, Anna noticed that her skin was starting to feel warm and tingly. At first, she thought she was imagining it but the sensation became stronger and actually started to hurt. The pain crept past her skin and deeper into her flesh, becoming stronger and stronger until the maid felt like her skin and flesh was on fire. Anna screamed and started tearing at gown frantically in an attempt to get it off as soon as possible. Her screams did not go unnoticed as Marie heard them as she was approaching the storage room.

"Anna!" she cried as she broke into a run and grabbed the doorknob in an attempt to open the door. Dear God, it was locked! And why wouldn't it be? Anna would have a hard time explaining why she was wearing one of the empress's gowns if someone happened to walk in on her. "You idiot!" Marie shouted "Open the door NOW!"

"Calm down, Marie!" Sayako called behind her. "Panicking won't help. Now move aside!" The young maid obeyed and made room for her supervisor as Sayako reached into her pocket and pulled out the master key which can open any and all rooms in the Britannian Imperial Palace. As the chief of staff, only she was authorized to possess it. Sayako quickly stuck the key into the keyhole and began turning it when she and Marie notice that Anna had ceased to scream and the room fell dead silent. Whatever it was, they knew it could not be good and they were right for as soon as they entered the room, they found Anna's lifeless body on the floor in front of the mirror, the gown she had admired and coveted so much being the very cause of her death.

**SSSSSS**

"What happened, Sayako?" Suzaku asked calmly as he looked down at the corpse of the dead girl and then into the face of the chief maid. Sayako had immediately sent for him as soon as she and Marie found Anna dead in the storage room. There was not a mark on her body but her face was frozen in a frightening death stare that would curdle anyone's blood. To spare the younger maid any more of the gruesome sight, Sayako ordered Marie to find Suzaku and bring him to the storage room. As soon as he arrived with Kallen, she dismissed the maid and the girl left without argument.

"I'm not sure, my lord." The chief maid answered quietly. When Marie and I arrived, we heard the girl's screams coming from this room but the door was locked and by the time I got it opened, it was too late and there was nothing we could do for her. I don't know exactly what happened but I'm sure that gown has something to do with it."

"You're right" Kallen said. Both Suzaku and Sayako turned and found the Knight of Four sitting on her knees as she examined the dress, flipping parts of it inside-out and feeling the material from the inside.

"What do you mean, Kallen?"

"Poison…" she answered. "The gown was poisoned." Upon closer inspection, Suzaku recognized the scarlet gown as the gift of the suitor who saved Nunnally's life in the banquet hall the day the bomb went off. Sayako also came to the same realization.

"Do you think…?" she began but Kallen shook her head.

"No" she answered. "I don't think he had anything to do with it. The incident was some time ago and Cornelia sent the guests home shortly after. I can see that the poison is fresh; it must have been applied to the gown very recently, possibly within the last twenty-four hours. I believe the killer thinks the empress will wear it but she hasn't had a chance to look at her gifts yet. It's very unfortunate that we had to find out about it this way."

"What do you want us to do, my lord?" Sayako asked, turning back to Suzaku.

"Does anyone else know of this?" he asked.

"No one but Marie, myself, you, and Kallen. I don't think anyone else heard the screams because this room is located in the far corner of the palace."

"Ok, good. For now, I prefer to keep this from leaking out. It couldn't be helped that the bombing incident went public but I want to keep this and any other attempts on the empress's life a secret until we find the culprit to avoid a palace-wide panic. I know now that it has to be someone from within the palace. Cornelia told me not to keep anything from Nunnally but I think it best not to let her know of this until I decide what to do next."

"I think that might be best" Kallen agreed as she got up and brushed her knees. "I also think it best to dispose of the gown to prevent another disaster like this from happening again; you should burn it to make sure."

"Of course" Sayako agreed. "And I will arrange for the girl's burial. I doubt it will be possible to keep this a secret from the empress for long but I will follow your plan for now."

"Good." Suzaku said. "And thank you for going along with me, I do appreciate it. It's late and there is nothing we can do for now but retire. Good night and sleep well, my lady."

"You too, my lord. Just leave this to me and have a good night."

Little did they know that their attempt to cover the gown poisoning incident will prove useless.

**SSSSSS**

"Come on, just one piece? I'm starving; I missed breakfast!" The servant boy whimpered.

"No, Robin. It's your fault for oversleeping and missing breakfast. You should have known better then to say up that late so let that be a lesson to you. Now hurry up and get this to the empress!" Chef Louis snapped as he placed a plate of food into the servant boy's hands and sent him on his way. There were normally supposed to be two chefs working in the kitchen but because his partner called in sick that morning, Louis was stuck with running the whole kitchen by himself, doing several things at once. The only break he got was when he left the stove for a moment to get a cold drink which he so desperately needed. Now that he had finished preparing the empress's breakfast and sent it on its way, he can finally relax and breathe for a moment.

Robin felt his stomach growl in pained hunger as he trotted down to the temporary banquet hall where Nunnally was waiting. He was starving and the scent of the food on the plate in his hands weren't helping matters much. _Dammit, why_ _does_ _Chef_ _Louis_ _have_ _to_ _be_ _such_ _a_ _hardass_? The boy thought bitterly. So what if he stayed up a little too late and ended up sleeping in and missing breakfast? He was just a kid for god's sake; the guy should give him a break!

Robin stopped for a moment to catch his breath. The scent of freshly-baked bread was maddening and he was so hungry, he couldn't resist any longer. _Just a bite; I'm sure the empress won't notice. And even if she does, I'm sure she won't get mad since she's such a sweat lady. A little bite won't hurt; she'll understand, I know she will... _And with that thought, the servant boy tore off a small piece of buttered bread and stuffed it into his mouth. Though it wasn't nearly enough to fill him up, it did ease the pangs of hunger and made him feel a lot better. Now that he was no longer being tortured by hunger, he happily made his way to the temporary banquet hall.

Empress Nunnally looked up from the book she was reading as she heard the approaching footsteps of the servant boy. She was seated at the far end of the table and Sayako was standing nearby to see to her needs.

"Good morning, Your Highness!" Robin greeted happily as he bowed before his empress and started approaching her with the plate of food.

"Good morning, my dear" Nunnally smiled as she patiently waited for the boy to place her breakfast on the table. He was a few minutes late but upon noticing the sweat on his brow, she sensed that he had a rough morning and decided to let it slide so long as he did not make a habit of it.

"My apologies for my tardiness, Your Highness. I-" Robin's words were cut off and he grimaced as he felt a pain in his chest and stomach as if he were being punched. Nunnally's smile vanished as she realized that something was wrong with the boy.

"Sweetie, what's wrong?" she asked but instead of answering her, Robin collapsed to the floor, writhing in pain as he entered a state of jerking fits and spasms. Nunnally and Sayako rushed to his side; there was no mistaking it, the boy had been poisoned and there was no time to waste.

"Sayako, quickly!" the empress cried. The maid nodded, swooped the boy in her arms, and proceeded to rush him to the palace infirmary with Nunnally following as fast as she could with her injured leg. Even though she knew she didn't have to; the empress did not feel right about staying behind and letting her servant take care of everything, especially in such a serious life and death matter.

Fortunately, Robin had been lucky and spared the grisly fate of the late Anna because Sayako had brought him to the infirmary and gotten him help in the nick of time. When the chief maid questioned him, he confessed that he had taken a bite of bread from Nunnally's plate before he collapsed from poisoning.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness, please forgive me." The boy apologized. The empress gently took his hands in hers.

"It's all right; there's no need to apologize. The important thing is that you're alive and well; you are very fortunate, unlike the late Miss Anna." As Nunnally said this, she turned towards Sayako with a disappointed look on her face. The chief maid frowned but she did not seem surprised.

"You knew about the gown incident." It was not a question but a statement of fact.

"Yes..." the empress answered. "I knew you would try to keep it from me but word gets around the palace pretty fast. There has been a lot of gossip among the servants as of late."

"Are you upset with me?" Sayako asked.

"No… I knew you were just following Suzaku's orders. Its ok, I am not angry with either of you. I'm just concerned because it looks like this killer doesn't mind hurting other people to get to me and I do have a problem with that. Please don't keep secrets from me any longer; I must know of anything that concerns me."

"Of course, my empress" the chief maid agreed. I will make sure Sir Kururugi knows your concerns. I will speak with him on the matter as soon as possible."

**A/N: Sorry about the delay, things have been hectic with me lately what with my new job and all. Now that things have settled down, I have more freedom to work on my story! Oh, and if the gown poisoning scene seems familiar to my readers, I borrowed the idea from the movie 'Elizabeth' starring Cate Blanchett. Like in my fic, a maid of the queen's also tried on a poisoned gown despite protests from a fellow maid which saved the queen's life but costed the maid hers. Thanks for all the reviews and support and remember that suggestions are always welcomed! ; )**


	9. 8: I Have Nothing

**Chapter 8: I Have Nothing**

"I am sorry to call all of you back here again but it looks like the killer is slipping past our security measures" Suzaku apologized to Cornelia and the rest of his fellow Knights. After the double poisoning incident, he was forced to hold another meeting to discuss a different course of action when it became apparent that the unknown killer was a palace resident and not an outsider. The others needed no explanation; by now, everyone in the palace knew about the gown incident and the near-death of the servant boy who ate a piece of poisoned bread that was meant for Nunnally.

"It's unfortunate that the young maid couldn't be saved but at least the servant boy didn't share her fate; how's he holding up?" Anya asked.

"He's all right" Kallen answered "Lady Sayako told me that he was shaken by the poisoning but he will live, though I doubt he will be sneaking food from the empress's plate again anytime soon."

"He won't, though I must admit that I am actually grateful to him. With her leg, I doubt that Sayako would have been able to get Nunnally to the infirmary in time if she was the one who ate the poisoned bread; she was able to carry the boy because he was small and light. Still, I'm worried because it already took one lost life for me to realize that the killer will do whatever it takes to get to the empress" Suzaku said as he ran a hand through his dark hair and sighed in frustration.

"Speaking of the empress how is she?" Gino asked.

"She's alright, just a little shaken and concerned" Cornelia answered. "I questioned the chef who prepared her meal this morning and he swore that he had nothing to do with it though he did admit leaving the kitchen for a few moments to grab a drink."

"A few moments are all it would take for someone to walk in and poison the food, especially since Chef Louis was the only one working that morning; the other chef called in sick so he was stuck with running the whole kitchen by himself. I don't blame him but I would advise that he be more careful next time" Jeremiah added as he rested his chin in his hand in deep thought.

"There won't be a next time" Suzaku said with a wave of his hand "Sayako insists on preparing the empress's meals herself from now on; last time I spoke with her, she told me that Nunnally knew about the gown incident and insists that she be informed on everything that concerns her."

"So what are we going to do?" Gino asked. "Now that we know the killer is a palace resident who can move about freely, protecting the empress will be even more difficult. The only thing I can think of is to send her away for a while until we find the culprit." The others looked his direction. The Knight of Two may not be the brightest of people but even he was able to come up with helpful suggestions every now and then.

Cornelia raised her eyebrows. "Gino, that's a great idea!" she exclaimed.

"It is, but where can we send her?" Anya asked.

Suzaku pondered the thought for a moment before the answer came to him. "Japan" he said. "Nunnally has lived most of her life there so I think that is where she would be most comfortable. Plus Kallen and I have connections there so that also helps a lot."

"Then it's settled" Jeremiah said. "You and Kallen take the empress to Japan and protect her while the rest of us stay behind to search for the killer. Are you all right with that, Kallen?" he asked as he turned to the Knight of Four. She nodded.

"Yes, but you are forgetting one thing; how will the empress's absence be explained to the public? And if the killer is truly a palace insider, don't you think he will try to find Her Highness once he realizes she is missing?"

Again, Gino makes a helpful suggestion. "A decoy" he said. "We need to find someone who bears enough resemblance to the empress to pose as her here while you and Suzaku hide her in Japan long enough for us to catch the killer."

"Yes, but who?" Anya asked.

"Leave that to me" Cornelia answered. "I know just the person. And if she doesn't want to, I'm sure I can find someone who will."

"So are we all in agreement?" Suzaku asked. "If so, I will inform the empress right away; she might not want to leave her royal post but I'm going to have to insist for her own good."

Everyone nodded. "Agreed."

"Good. Meeting adjourned; you are all dismissed."

**SSSSSS**

"You called for me, my lady?" the young woman asked as she entered Cornelia's office.

"Yes, please come in and have a seat; there is something I wish to ask of you." the Britannian commander-in-chief answered as she looked up from the reports she had been reading. For the past week, she had left military matters to her husband, Gilbert while she focused on palace security and dealing with the press. At her request, he also sent her a certain private whom she believed will serve well as a decoy for Gino's and Suzaku's plan.

Her name was Mary Gilford, the younger sister of Cornelia's husband. She was an ideal candidate due to her striking resemblance to Nunnally in face and form. Her hair and eye color may be different and she was not completely identical to the empress but with a small makeover and change of wardrobe, no one would really know the difference unless they examined her up close and Cornelia was counting on that.

"What is it you wish to ask of me?"

"Do you know of the recent assassination attempts on the empress?"

"Of course, everyone knows."

"I have discussed a plan with the Knights of the Round concerning Empress Nunnally. We have decided to send her away temporarily while we search for her stalker but we need someone to serve as a decoy here, someone who can pass as the empress."

"Do you want me to do it?"

Cornelia disliked the idea of putting her sister-in-law in such a risky position but this was really no different then sending her on a military mission which she and Gilbert had done in the past. The girl knew the risks when she chose to join the Britannian military and would do it if ordered but Cornelia still preferred to give her a choice.

"Yes" she answered "But it is a request and not an order. If you do not wish to do it, I understand; I will find another. However, if you agree, you will be protected like the empress herself and rewarded once the killer is caught; I will give you an early promotion."

Mary's eyes brightened. "Of course, my lady; I would be honored. This is just another assignment to me; what do I have to do?"

Cornelia smiled. "Easy" she answered "Absolutely nothing. Once the real empress is sent away, I will make an announcement that she is ill and will not be making any public appearances for a while. Your only job is to fool the palace staff into believing that you are Empress Nunnally and go about your life as she would. If the killer believes she's still here, he won't try to follow her. Of course, you will be heavily guarded and as a soldier yourself, I believe you have some ability to hold your own if the need arises."

"Of course."

"Then it's an agreement?"

"Yes."

"Good. Then I will inform the Knights and we can get started immediately."

**SSSSSS**

"Absolutely not!" Nunnally exploded. The very thought of leaving her post and her country without its leader, even for a short while, was like leaving a cooking fire unattended or at least she thought so.

"Nunnally, please be reasonable…" Suzaku pleaded "The others and I have tried everything else and as you can see, nothing has worked. We still haven't been able to find any clue to the killer's identity except that he or she is a palace resident able to move about freely within. There are at least 1,500 staff members and that is not including the palace guards which I now suspect as well. The killer seems to be getting closer and closer with each attempt so it is imperative that you go into hiding temporarily to buy us time. I can think of no other way."

The empress frowned. "I still don't like it" she said "And it's not because I'm so egotistical that I believe Britannia will fall apart without me; the Royal Council can manage in my stead just fine, at least for a short while. I just feel insecure about my half-siblings trying to seize the throne in my absence. I know they are all geassed to obey us but I still have a nagging feeling of doubt I just can't get rid of. And I can't possibly put Mary Gilford's life at stake by having her act as a decoy to draw out the killer."

"Its all right, Miss Gilford is doing this of her own free will; she's a soldier so she understands the risks. To her, it is no different from any other military assignment. As for your siblings, Cornelia and the other Knights will keep an eye on them as well as investigate the palace staff. I can't force you to leave if you don't want, but I am begging you for your own good. Please think it over, I will be back tonight for your answer. Have a good day, my empress."

Nunnally nodded and remained silent as she watched her chief protector leave the throne room. Although she was grateful for his efforts, part of her also hated him for putting her in such a difficult position, even if it was for her own good. The worst part was that she only had a few hours to decide for she knew Suzaku would return later this evening for her answer.

**SSSSSS**

Tick tock, tick tock…

The empress listened to the sounds the grandfather clock in her chamber made as she sat in front of her make-up table brushing her hair and looking at her reflection in the wooden antique mirror. Normally, she found the ticking of the clock soothing when she was relaxing but at the moment, the sounds were almost nerve wracking. She was not alone; Sayako was in the bathroom nearby, drawing her bath after she had brought Nunnally her dinner. The empress did not feel like eating but did so out of courtesy to her servant and friend. She didn't know why, but lately, she found her food to be tasteless even though she normally enjoyed Sayako's cooking very much.

Nunnally shook her head as she brushed off the trivial thoughts from her mind. There was no time to be pondering over such things when there were more important matters to think about. She expected Suzaku to be showing up at her door any minute now and she had to decide fast. The empress had thought long and hard about what to do and it frustrated her that she still wasn't sure. Of course, there was logic in what her Knight suggested but that still didn't make it any easier to agree even though she had to admit that it was probably the best option. Another thing she had to consider was that the longer it took to find her stalker, the more lives it can possibly cost; Nunnally already bore the death of the maidservant, Anna, on her conscience even though it was no fault of hers that the girl decided to try on her poisoned gown.

The empress was interrupted from her thoughts when she heard a knock on her door. Thinking it was Suzaku, she braced herself but was actually relieved when she heard the voice of a servant boy calling to her from the other side of the door.

"Your Highness!" he called. "I have brought your mail!"

Upon hearing the boy, Sayako prepared to shut off the water to answer the door but Nunnally stopped her.

"It's all right, Sayako, I'll get it!"

Though she knew she would have to decide eventually, she was happy to have some kind of distraction to take her mind off things, even for a moment. Upon opening the door, she saw Robin, the same servant boy who ate her poisoned bread that morning which surprised her because he was not the servant boy who normally brought her mail.

"Robin? Why are you here? Shouldn't you be resting? Where's Thomas?"

"Thomas fell ill this morning so I will be taking his place for a few days. I am feeling fine so I volunteered because I knew it would be inconvenient to Lady Sayako to have two servants absent and I owe her for saving my life." And with that, Robin gave a slight bow and handed Nunnally her mail, a single plain envelope with a red seal on it. The empress could not help but smile; the boy might not know it, but his brief presence and kind words had really brightened her day.

Without warning, Nunnally leaned forward and planted a kiss on the boy's cheek, totally catching him off guard.

"Wh…what was that for?" he sputtered as his face turned bright red. Only ten years of age, he had not expected to get his first kiss from a girl for a while; never in his wildest dreams did he expect it to come from the lovely empress herself.

"Just for being you" Nunnally answered, amused by the boy's reaction. "Thank you, Robin; you are dismissed. I will see you again at breakfast tomorrow."

"Of course! Have a good night, Your Highness!" Robin cried as he bowed, grabbed his cheeks, and ran out of the chamber. The empress watched him slam the door behind him and could not help but giggle in amusement before turning back to her make-up table to sit down and read her mail.

"What was that all about?" the chief maid called from the bathroom after the servant boy left.

"Oh, it's nothing! Don't worry about it!" Nunnally answered cheerfully as she sat back down and sliced opened the mail with her letter opener.

Unfortunately, her joy was short lived and her smile vanished as she slowly pulled the letter from the envelope and read its contents. What she saw almost made her heart stop…

_Nunnally, bitch…_

_You have everything…_

_I have nothing…_

_Prepare yourself…_

_For soon you will die!_

As if the words weren't shocking enough, there was also a picture below it of what she thought to be her bloody, mutilated corpse. Before she could completely absorb the contents of the letter, Nunnally heard her cell phone ring. Her eyes wandered to the small phone on her table but she hesitated to pick it up.

"Your Highness" Sayako called. "What is it?" But Nunnally did not hear her. All she could hear was the ringing of her cell phone as she eyed the small object nervously.

Ring...

Ring…

Ring…

"Nunnally, what's wrong? Do you want me to get it?" That finally caught her attention and the empress snapped out of her trance.

"No, its ok; I'll get it!" she cried. The ringing was nerve wracking and there was only one way to get it to stop even though she dreaded it. The young empress found her hand shaking as she slowly picked up her cell phone and answered it.

"Hello?"

Silence. Although there was no answer, Nunnally could hear something stirring on the other side so she knew someone must be there.

"Hello?" she repeated. If this was someone's idea of a joke, it was not funny. After another moment of silence, she prepared to put down her phone when she finally heard a masculine voice on the other side.

"Noooooo…." It purred. The voice was obviously male and the tone sent chills down her spine. Nunnally felt as if her heart was being gripped and squeezed by icy fingers and it took a while for her to realize that she forgot to breathe. Her shaking hand went numb from fear and she finally dropped her cell phone; the small object falling to the floor with a thud before breaking into a dozen pieces.

Though Sayako was in the bathroom almost a dozen yards away, her hearing was sharp and she heard the dropping and breaking of the cell phone and immediately returned to the main chamber where she found the young empress frozen in a state of shock, her left hand clutching a letter while her empty right was slightly closed as if she were still holding the phone. It didn't take the chief maid long to figure out what happened.

"Your Highness!" she cried as she ran to her empress and quickly took Nunnally into her arms and gently rocked her as if comforting a child. Before Nunnally could reply, both women heard the door being kicked open as the Knight of Zero forced himself into the room with his sword drawn. Upon hearing Sayako's cries as he approached the empress's chambers, he feared the worse and did not hesitate to kick the down the door as he prepared to fight what he believed to be the killer. When he saw that there was no one else in the room besides Sayako and Nunnally, he was confused.

"What's going on here? What happened?" he demanded.

"I'm sorry, my lord" Sayako apologized. I was not expecting it either. Let me put Her Highness to bed for a moment before I explain." And with that, the chief maid led the empress to her bed and laid her down before tucking her in. Not yet recovering from her shock, Nunnally allowed herself to be put to bed and remained there silently as Sayako explained to Suzaku about the unexpected letter and phone call that caused her present state.

"So, it is as I feared" Suzaku sighed as he placed his hand on his forehead. "Jeremiah and Gino have taken great pains to make sure the letters did not get to Her Highness for the last few months but it looked like one finally did so. Who brought it?"

"I believe it was Robin. But don't blame him; it wasn't his fault. There was no way for him to know the contents of the letter and I don't think Thomas remembered to tell him to bring the mail to the other Knights first since he did fall ill this morning."

"I'm not angry with him; I'm actually grateful to him for saving Nunnally's life even though he doesn't know it. I was hoping that she would never have to see such letters but with the killer's persistence, I knew it would only be a matter of time."

"So what do you want to do, my lord" the chief maid ask.

Before Suzaku could answer, both of them heard Nunnally calling.

"Sayako? Suzaku? Are you here?" the empress called out weakly as she finally found her voice.

"Nunnally!" the two cried as they quickly rush to her bedside.

The young empress looked up at her two friends as she lay in bed with her blankets up to her neck.

"I'm scared" she whispered.

"It was the killer, wasn't it?" Sayako asked. The empress nodded.

"What did he say to you? It was a 'he', wasn't it?" Suzaku asked gently as he pressed her for answers.

"Yes. And I don't know what he was trying to say. He just purred a long 'No'.

"I see…" Suzaku said. "He's getting close…too close. Your Highness…Nunnally, I have come for your answer. You know we are doing everything we can to help you but we need you to help us as well. I know you don't like it but you must agree to come to Japan with me; Kallen will come as well. While we protect you there, Cornelia and the other Knights will search for your stalker here. They will work as hard and fast as they can and as soon as it is safe to do so, we will bring you back. You have my word on that so please trust me on this…"

The empress looked up into the eyes of her chief protector. As much as she hated to admit it, she knew he was right. He said nothing more but his eyes were pleading with her not to make his job any more difficult then it already was. He was not just trying to protect his empress, but his dear friend as well.

Looking at her two friends and bodyguards, the empress finally nodded and gave her answer:

"Yes."

The dark knight sighed with relief. "Ok, good" he said. "Sayako, start packing Nunnally's things; we need to leave as soon as possible. I want to be out of here no later then tomorrow night."

"Understood, my lord. And do not fear for the empress; I will stay here tonight and guard her myself. You just worry about making the proper arrangements."

"Thank you, my lady. Please take care and I will see you tomorrow."

"Of course and don't you worry about a thing; have a good night, my lord."

"Good night."

**A/N: Ok, another chappie! Like the heroine in the movie, Nunnally is stubborn so I decided that it was going to take a push to get her to agree to Suzaku's plan, hence the letter and phone call (also like in the movie). I'm happy this story is taking off so well and again, thanks for the reviews! **


	10. 9: Leaving Britannia

**Chapter 9: Leaving Britannia**

"So she agrees?"

Kallen looked up from her desk as she listened to Suzaku's brief explanation of what had transpired the night before. Until the arrival of the dark knight, she had been working on a list of what to bring for the trip back to their homeland. Though she knew this was not going to be a vacation, the Knight of Four decided it would be good for both her and Suzaku to make the most of their trip since neither of them had been back in years.

"Yes" Suzaku answered. "But unfortunately, it took another death threat to get her to agree. I was hoping it wouldn't come to that but doubt I would have been able to persuade her on my own; she doesn't really like the idea of leaving her royal post."

Kallen could not help but smile. "Its good that Nunnally takes her job seriously but like Sayako says, she'll be no good to Britannia if she's dead. The empire is in no danger now; she can afford to leave her royal post, at least for a little while. I trust that Jeremiah and the other Knights will work with utmost hast to find her stalker."

"True. I have already contacted Milly and informed her about our plan. She says we can stay and hide at her family's summer home out in the countryside. It's a very private and isolated estate so I'm sure we'll have no problem maintaining secrecy there. There is no need to ever go into town and risk exposing ourselves as Milly will provide us with food and anything else we need which is good because it's vital to our plan that everyone, including the killer, think that Nunnally is still here."

Kallen nodded. "Good. But you do know that we will not be the only ones accompanying Her Highness, don't you?"

Suzaku was puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"Sayako insists on coming. She believes that Nunnally is every bit her responsibility as well as ours and I think it would be a good idea to have someone around to attend to her other needs while we protect her. Besides, trying to persuade Sayako to stay behind would be a waste of time."

"No, I agree. We need to be out of here by tonight so we don't have time to waste. I have to go see Lord Asplund in a bit to make arrangements for a private jet to assure the secrecy of our departure. We should leave late tonight when people are sleeping and least likely to notice."

Kallen stood up. "That's what I wanted to talk to you about. Before you go see Lord Asplund, there is someone I think you should talk to first. Having Sayako with us is good and all but I really recommend taking a second person to tend to the empress as well."

"All right. Who?"

The Knight of Four smiled again. "She's in the temporary banquet hall. She usually has breakfast a little later then Nunnally and the rest of the royal family but I'm sure she's done by now; you can catch her if you go right away." Upon seeing the confused look on Suzaku's face, Kallen sighed softly. "Its all right, I know what I'm talking about. You did ask me to trust you so please trust me on this."

Suzaku was surprised at how gentle and convincing Kallen could be if she wanted. The Knight of Four had never failed him before so he guessed he could trust her advice. "Very well, I will go see this person before heading on to Lord Asplund's. Thank you for the recommendation, my lady; have a good day and I will see you tonight."

"You too, my lord.

**SSSSSS**

After leaving Kallen's chamber, Suzaku made his way down to the temporary banquet hall to meet the person she told him would make another good attendant for Nunnally for the duration of their stay in Japan. He was curious as to why the Knight of Four neglected to mention her name until he saw who she was talking about.

"Princess Carline?"

The red-headed girl turned his way upon hearing her name being called. As Kallen had predicted, she had already finished her breakfast and was admiring some paintings of previous Britannian emperors and empresses on the wall along the hallway.

There was no mistaking it; this was Princess Carline le Britannia, the fifth princess of the Britannian royal family and half-sister to the current empress. At eighteen, both were the youngest daughters of former Emperor Charles zi Britannia. This was not the first time Suzaku had met or spoken with her. Ever since Nunnally became empress, he as well as Cornelia and the rest of the Knights have taken it upon themselves to keep an eye on the royal family to watch for any signs of disloyalty or rebellious behavior from among the siblings. Thanks to Lelouch's geass, there has been none for the past three years. All of them, including Princess Carline, remained loyal to Nunnally. Still, Suzaku could not help but be curious as to why Kallen would recommend her of all people to be Nunnally's second attendant but he guessed he was just going to have to trust her.

Upon seeing the arrival of the dark knight, Carline curtsied politely. "Good morning, Lord Kururugi. How're you?"

"I am well, thank you. I wish I had more time for pleasantries but I am pressed for time and need to ask a favor of you."

"Yes?"

Suzaku hesitated for a moment. Though he had not had a single problem with Carline since she was geassed, he still felt uneasy about telling her what was on his mind. Obviously asking her to come to Japan as an attendant for Nunnally meant revealing his secret plan but he had no choice.

_Kallen, I sure hope you know what the heck you're doing, _he thought.

"I know this is sudden and I must make it short, but I wish for you to accompany the empress and me on a trip. Lady Kallen and Lady Sayako will be coming as well."

Carline was confused. "I was not aware that the empress was taking or even planning a trip."

"Officially, she's not. But with all that's been going on, Cornelia and the rest of the Knights as well as myself have decided that it was best to send her away temporarily to protect her. Lady Kallen, Sayako, and I plan to hide her there while the others stay here to search for the killer. Though it was not in my original plan, Lady Kallen recommends that I ask you to come with us to assist the empress and maybe provide some emotional support. Would you mind?"

Carline was silent for a moment as her gaze left Suzaku to look upon the paintings on the wall once more. This didn't sound like an unreasonable request for her; even though she and Nunnally were never terribly close, the empress was still her half-sister. Not only that, Nunnally had been very generous with her and the rest of the royal family.

"Well, I guess I could" she said slowly. "It's not like I have much else to do. Where will we be staying?"

"At the Ashford family's summer home; it's a very lovely and private estate out in the Japanese countryside. No one will bother us and just because this isn't a vacation, that doesn't mean you can't enjoy yourself to an extent."

"True… I guess I can't complain about a free trip; when do you want to go?"

"We must leave tonight. I am seeing Lord Asplund to arrange a private jet. If you intend to go, I suggest you start packing now because we leave at midnight."

"Of course."

"So I will see you then?"

"Yes, my lord. Will there be anything else?"

"Yes. Please do not tell anyone of this; we must keep it an absolute secret."

"I understand. See you tonight."

"You too. Thank you, Princess Carline."

**SSSSSS**

"Lord Asplund, it's Suzaku Kururugi; are you there?" the dark knight called out as he rapped softly on the back door of the Britannian capital's military facility. Due to his desire to maintain secrecy, he called the earl before his arrival to inform him that he will be showing up at the back door instead of the front to avoid drawing attention to himself.

Earl Lloyd Asplund set down the cup of coffee he was about to drink when he heard Suzaku's text message on his cell phone. The dark knight made sure to send it in case he could not hear his rapping at the door. The earl was hoping he'd have some time to enjoy his coffee before Suzaku's arrival but guessed it could not be helped. Sighing, he left the cup on the table next to his main computer and answered the door.

As he expected, Suzaku came to him disguised as a common soldier because his Knight uniform would be too conspicuous. Though he had not seen his former subordinate, now his superior, in three years, the two kept in touch; Lloyd was one of the very few people who knew that Suzaku was still alive and made sure to dismiss his other assistants before the Knight's arrival to keep it so.

"Ah, it's you, Lord Kururugi. Welcome, I've been expecting you. Please come in and make yourself comfortable" the earl greeted as he stepped aside to let Suzaku in.

"Thank you for taking time to see me" Suzaku said as he removed his helmet and walked in. "How have you been? I know it's been a while; I believe the last time I saw you was at Empress Nunnally's coronation ceremony. I would have liked to visit you but my duties have kept me extremely busy, especially as of late so please forgive me."

To this, Lloyd smiled and laughed cheerfully. "There is no need to apologize as I'm sure protecting the empress and leading the Knights was more then enough to keep your hands full. Though I would have liked to see you more often, I understand completely. And besides, I also had my own duties to tend to as well."

"Speaking of which, how have you been faring? Now that we are at peace, you aren't receiving as much funds for your military projects as there is far less need then before."

The earl sighed. "True" he said. "But I'm glad we are at peace, really. My desire has always been to create technology to protect the empire and its people, not to conquer, destroy, and take lives recklessly. Since the wars have ended, I have been focusing my time and efforts in technology to improve people's lives as well as national security."

To this, the Knight bowed to his former superior in a gesture of gratitude. "About that, I've wanted to thank you for making it possible for the empress and others like her to walk again for so long but haven't had a chance. I know it's long overdue, but please accept my sincere gratitude on behalf of myself and Empress Nunnally."

The earl nodded. Though it was not intentional, he had discovered a new technology that enabled the empress the use of her legs once more while conducting experiments with nanoprobes and cybernetics to help soldiers who have lost limbs or been crippled in battle lead normal lives again. Lord Jeremiah himself was his first test subject; the Knight of One volunteered for the project when he began experiencing complications and difficulties with his cybernetic limbs. It was then that Lloyd noticed that nanoprobes had the ability to re-grow damaged nerves as well as enhance cybernetics. Though he would have preferred his natural limbs, Jeremiah chose to keep his cybernetic ones because they enhanced his abilities and performance as a Knight, even if he had to see Lloyd regularly to have them maintained.

"I am glad I could be of usefulness to Her Highness and others like her. I can only imagine how overwhelming it must have been for her to walk again after being confined to a wheelchair for so long. Even though it was an accident, I am grateful to discover that the nanoprobes have given the empress the use of her legs again. I have considered cybernetic limbs for her at first but it seemed too crude for a young princess though it is ideal for a soldier."

"Right. Oh, and by the way, how is Cecile? I haven't seen her in a while either. I notice she is not here with you. Why is that?"

"Ahh… Miss Cromley is no longer my assistant. She has long since moved on and founded her own laboratory and study out somewhere in Japan. I knew she would eventually; she had a lot of scientific ambition but it's still a pity because I was very fond of her."

"How long has it been since she left?"

"A little over a year ago. But enough about that; you came to me because you needed a private jet for your trip by tonight, yes?"

"Yes; will it be ready by then? I want to leave when people are least likely to notice. No one must know of our departure."

"Of course; it is ready now. I have provided enough fuel and supplies for your flight to Japan and back. I trust your piloting skills are still in check? I know you haven't operated a knightmare frame or any flight vehicle in a while and I can provide a pilot for you if you wish."

Suzaku shook his head. "I thank you for the offer but it will not be necessary. Since we still have little clue as to the killer's identity, I trust very few people besides myself with the empress's safety so the fewer people who know about this, the better. Besides, piloting to me is like riding a bike to normal people; I never really forget and I'm sure the same is true of Lady Kallen."

Lloyd smiled. "Good" he said. "I trust the empress will be safe with you and Lady Kallen. It's still going to be a while before midnight so go finish packing up and take care of whatever else you need to before coming back here. I will be waiting for you."

"Thank you, Lloyd, I will do that. Have a good day and I will see you tonight."

"You too, Suzaku; bye for now."

**SSSSSS**

"Your Highness, our stay in Japan could last a while so make sure you have everything you need" Sayako said as she watched Nunnally sit on her bed and gently caress a lovely round silver picture frame with a photo of herself and Lelouch from their days as students at Ashford Academy. Both she and the chief maid had spent the last few hours packing and were taking a break when the empress pulled out the picture from the locked drawer of her bedside table.

Due to her late brother's unpopularity, Nunnally could not keep any images of him in the palace except for his one portrait in the banquet hall next to their parents' and other previous Britannian rulers; it was the only image people tolerated because he had been an Emperor of Britannia and part of their history. Since the majority of their pictures had been destroyed in the chaos of the last war, she was determined to protect and preserve the very few that remained, especially the ones they took together.

"You know me, Sayako; just because I've had the luxury of the royal palace for three years doesn't mean I have to have that much to be comfortable. I don't mind living it rough if need be."

The chief maid walked over to the empress and looked over her shoulder at the picture she was holding; in it, the siblings were smiling, laughing, and hugging each other. Nunnally had indeed changed much since then but she was still lovely, even back when she was blind and crippled. "You still think of him a lot, don't you?" Sayako asked softly.

"Not a day has gone by that I haven't thought of him. I wouldn't have what I have today if it wasn't for my onii-sama and his sacrifice. But I would gladly give it all up if I could have him back even though I know its not possible." the empress answered sadly as she gazed at the smiling face of her late brother.

The brother who had finally put an end to Britannian tyranny.

The brother who was brutally cut down in the flower of his youth.

The brother who would be forever handsome and young in her memory.

Upon seeing the sad look on her empress's face, the chief maid immediately regretted bringing up the subject. "I'm sorry, Nunnally", she apologized. "That was very insensitive and thoughtless of me." But the empress merely shook her head and smiled.

"Don't be", she said "There is no need to apologize. I think it's good for me to talk about him every now and then. Especially since there are so few people who know the truth about him; I believe doing so will keep his memory alive."

"Yes, I agree. Do you wish to take his pictures with you? If so, I can pack them along with the rest of your clothes."

"Yes, please. Especially this one" she held up the frame in her hands "It's my favorite."

Sayako nodded and the two of the resume their packing. When they had just finished, they heard a knock on the door.

"Your Highness? Are you there? It's me, Cornelia."

"Yes, of course!" the empress answered as she got up and quickly opened the door before Sayako could move. Old habits die hard; fiercely independent Nunnally wasn't going to let her servants do every little thing for her if she can do it herself, empress or not.

"Thank you, Your Highness." Cornelia bowed before her empress as she walked into the chamber. Nunnally and Sayako could see that she wasn't alone; she was accompanied by a young red-headed woman.

"Have we met?" the empress asked in confusion.

Cornelia made a gesture for the young woman to come forward. "May I introduce Miss Mary Gilford, my sister-in-law; she will be serving as your double while you are away in Japan."

The young woman approached and bowed before the empress. "It is an honor to meet you, Your Highness. I will do everything I can to be of service to you."

Both Nunnally and Sayako were surprised; they had known that Cornelia's husband had a younger sister but neither had ever seen her before and they certainly didn't know how striking her resemblance to the empress was until now.

"Yes…thank you!" Nunnally stammered. "Wow… you know, you really could be my twin. Thank you for volunteering but are you really ok with this?"

"Yes, Your Highness, do not fear. I want to do this. I am honored for any chance I have to serve my country and my empress."

"We will protect her like we would protect you" Cornelia assured. "All we ask is that you leave at least half of your wardrobe behind for her."

"Of course! I don't need to take my whole wardrobe with me anyway. Just let me know if you need anything else and I will do my best to provide it."

"We really don't need much else except for the keys to your chamber."

"Yes, I can give you that. Please Sayako…"

The chief maid obeyed and handed Cornelia the keys to Nunnally's bed chamber. "Thank you, Lady Sayako. And you too, Your Highness. I'm glad you approve of Mary. I wanted you to meet her before you go but I also want to accompany you to Lord Asplund's and see you off."

"Of course; I will be happy to have you accompany us. We will be leaving as soon as Suzaku and Kallen are ready. They should be here soon. Or if you wish, you can go ahead of us and we will meet you there."

"Yes, that sounds like a good idea. We will go now; see you there soon." Nunnally nodded her approval as Cornelia and Mary bowed and left the chamber.

**SSSSSS**

It was fifteen minutes to midnight when the party met at the docking area of the Britannian capital's military facility. As he promised Lloyd Asplund had the private jet ready for their trip. He also came to see them off along with Cornelia and the other Knights of the Round.

"Is everybody ready?" the earl asked after they had finished loading their things into the plane. Suzaku was glad Cornelia and the other Knights came to help them load as well as see them off for it could be a few weeks before he, Nunnally, Kallen, Carline, and Sayako saw them again.

"Yes, and once again, thank you for helping us" Suzaku answered.

"I thank you too, Lord Asplund" Nunnally said as she curtsied before the earl. Lloyd smiled as he took the empress's hand in his.

"There is no need to thank me, Your Highness" he said gently "You are Britannia's great hope; serving and protecting you is my duty and honor just as much as it is Suzaku's and the rest of the Knights'."

Nunnally smiled and nodded as she turned to her older half-sister. She wanted to express her gratitude to Cornelia as well but the Britannian commander-in-chief took her in her arms in a fierce bear hug before she could utter a word. She wasn't sure if she was imagining it, but Nunnally thought she saw a tear escape from the corner of her big sister's eye which came as a surprise because tough Cornelia prided herself on being a strong woman and never allowed herself to show her weak side to others.

"Don't you worry about a thing, Nunnally" she promised "I swear to God we'll get to the bottom of this. I lost Euphie; I'll not lose you as well!"

Nunnally returned her hug. "Thank you, I am so grateful to have a big sister like you. I'm looking forward to seeing you and the others again."

Suzaku watched the two sisters for a moment before turning to Jeremiah. "We could be gone for a few weeks. I'm hoping it won't be too long. I trust you will have no trouble leading the Knights and continuing the investigation in my stead?"

"Of course not, Suzaku; leave everything to me. The rest of us may not be as brilliant as the former emperor but that doesn't mean we can't catch this guy; please trust us with this just as we trust you with the empress's safety."

"I do." Suzaku offered his hand and Jeremiah took it.

"Godspeed to you, my lord" said the Knight of One.

"You too."

After the parties had said their good-byes and parted, Suzaku prepared to board the plane after seeing the others in when he felt Lloyd grab his left hand in a tight grip which caught him totally off guard because the earl was known more for his intellect then his strength. He may have appeared frail on the surface but the dark knight soon discovered that Lloyd was certainly stronger then he looked.

"Yes, Lord Asplund?"

"I know you and I have had our differences in the past" the earl began, his cheerful demeanor gone and his tone now serious "But I want you to know that I have always had the utmost respect and admiration for you, even when you were still my subordinate though I may not have always expressed it. As your former employer, elder, and friend, I have some important advice for you before you go. You would do very well to heed it."

Suzaku eyed him curiously. "And that is?"


	11. 10: Return to Japan, former Area 11

**Chapter 10: Return to Japan, former Area 11**

_Don't let your guard down…_

_Never let her out of your sight…_

_Never fall in love…_

Suzaku found Lloyd's haunting words echoing in his head as he piloted the jet that was to take his party to Japan; they had left Britannia in the dead of the night and very few people noticed the small jet leaving the military facility. Those who did thought nothing of it for it was common for the earl to have things sent to and fro for experimentation with other facilities throughout the empire.

While Nunnally and the others slept in the back, Suzaku and Kallen stayed up to pilot the jet together. Both had made sure to get enough rest during the day to prepare for the ten hour flight back to their homeland. They had been in the air for a few hours already and Kallen noticed that her leader had not uttered a word since their departure; she saw him speaking with Lloyd briefly before they left and wonder what the earl might have said to disturb him so.

"Suzaku, what's wrong?" she asked "You haven't said a word since we left; is something bothering you?"

Upon hearing his friend's inquiry, the dark knight snapped out of his trance; like Cornelia, Kallen was very perceptive and could read him quite well.

"It's nothing; I was just preoccupied with my thoughts of everything that's been going on this past week." It was true but Kallen sensed there was more to it then just that. She wanted to ask Suzaku what the earl said to him before they left but thought it best not to pursue it. Instead, she decided to change the subject.

"Do you ever miss it? Our homeland?" she asked. It was a fair question, neither Suzaku, Kallen, nor Sayako have been back to Japan since Nunnally became empress.

Suzaku was silent as he thought about it for a few moments. To be honest, he wasn't sure. The way he saw it, home was wherever his dearest friends and everything else he wanted in life was, including Nunnally, so he tended to think of Britannia as his home.

"Occasionally, but not often; I believe in the saying that home is where the heart is. Other then Kaguya, I don't really have any close relatives and as much as I love her, I knew she would eventually grow up and have a life of her own." It was true; his cousin became a government official working under Prime Minister Ohgi after Japan became independent and last time he heard from her, she told him that she had just become engaged to her longtime boyfriend.

"I see…" Kallen said she turned back to her side of the control panel. Suzaku decided to return her question.

"What about you?"

"I feel the same as you" she answered "Though I have a much bigger family on my father's side, I am not close to any of them, including him. At times, I miss our old classmates but like your cousin, I knew they would eventually move on with their lives. I try calling up Milly up every now and then but hardly ever hear from Nina or Rivalz since they're so busy with their new lives and careers. However, I do think it's more ironic that I feel more at home in my father's homeland then my mother's ever since I became a Knight and moved into the royal palace."

"Speaking of your mother, how is she?"

"She's doing well; she works as a medical assistant and lives in a nice apartment out in the capital that I was able to rent for her. I'm happy to say that I've improved my relationship with her and try to see her as often as possible on my days off."

"Does she know you're going back to Japan with us for a few weeks?"

Kallen shook her head. "There was no need to tell her plus I think it best if few people know of our mission. I just told her I needed to take some time off in the countryside and left it at that; she was perfectly fine with it."

"I see…good. I'm hoping our stay in Japan will be brief and uneventful. I am grateful to Gino for his idea of hiding Nunnally there but at the same time, I feel bad for leaving Cornelia and the others to do all the work of finding the killer while we do nothing."

Again Kallen shook her head. "I'm afraid I'll have to disagree with you on that, Suzaku; I'd hardly call protecting the empress 'doing nothing'. It's true that their part will be somewhat tougher then ours but keeping Nunnally's presence in Japan a secret is no easy task either. We have to do everything we can to make sure no one sees her or all our efforts would have been in vain. It's lucky for us that Milly's summer home is far out in the countryside but that doesn't mean we can let our guard down. Even if the nearest town is a good fifty miles away, there's always the chance that random people can pass by the area."

"You're right" Suzaku agreed "Still, I hate not being able to search for the killer with Cornelia and the others. Even if he's far away, I'll never be able to relax as long as I know he's still out there."

"I know, but you mustn't be so hard on yourself. You may be our leader but you're still only human; there's only so much you can do alone. We can trust the others so let's just not worry about it and focus on doing our part; that's the best we can do for them as well as Nunnally."

"Of course; I do trust them. Thanks for telling me that, it does make me feel a lot better." Suzaku was surprised at the ease in which he was able to engage Kallen in a casual conversation such as this. Though he wished the circumstances could have been different, he was grateful that their mutual concern for Nunnally was able to bring them closer and hoped that their trip will bring him more chances to improve his relationship with his subordinate.

Unknown to the dark knight, that subordinate felt the same way though she was damned if she was going to admit it to anyone, including herself.

**SSSSSS**

There was a tomb-like silence at Pendragon Imperial Palace after the inhabitants had retired for the evening. As a rule, the palace curfew was ten; after the servants and guards have made their final rounds, the palace was completely closed off and no one was allowed to enter or leave until morning. It was well past midnight and all staff members were fast asleep as they were expected to be up by six to start performing their daily tasks. All except one.

In the room lit only by a single candle, the man sat at his small desk, cutting out individual words and letters from the small stack of newspapers and magazines before him and pasting it on a smaller paper while humming an eerie tune. He was a slightly unkempt man, with his mussed hair, unshaven face, and untidy clothes; anyone who saw him now might guess he was in his early or mid-thirties but his appearance made it difficult to tell for sure. Of course, he knew how to make himself look presentable enough for work, but barely; in his off time, he'd let himself go completely without a single care as to his appearance; that was the last thing on his mind now.

The man put down his small scissors for a moment and glanced at the pictures on his wall, of which the subject of all was the same.

Empress Nunnally…

The woman who occupied his nearly every waking thought every since he became employed in the Imperial Palace over half a year ago.

Since the moment he first saw her face, he became infatuated with her beauty yet despised the fact that she was far out of his league. He knew he was not the only one who could never have her but instead of contenting himself with admiring her from a distance, he unknowingly allowed his infatuation to become obsession, with mixed feelings of twisted 'love' and jealous hatred of the men who pursued the empress as well as the woman herself for being beyond his reach. He was in love with her at one time but that love became hate when he realized that no matter how much he 'loved' her, she never even noticed him.

It was then that the man came to the final conclusion that if he could not have his dream woman, no one could; he'd rather see her dead then in the arms of another man. His last few attempts ended in failure, thanks to circumstance and that damn masked knight. He even thought about killing him as well but knew that he wouldn't stand a chance against the Knight of Zero in direct confrontation, having no battle experience, so he focused his attacks against the more vulnerable Nunnally using subtle underhanded tactics. He might have failed so far but came closer every time so he decided to keep trying. With his dogged persistence, it would only be a matter of time…

**SSSSSS**

"I'm so happy to see you again, Nunnally, it's been so long!" Amelia 'Milly' Ashford cried happily as she took Nunnally in her arms and hugged her so tight the empress almost gagged; like her ex-fiance, Earl Asplund, the young Ashford heiress was certainly stronger then she looked despite her frail appearance. Nunnally was one of her favorite classmates as well as close friend so she could not help seizing the young empress as soon as she stepped off the jet which was docked in a closed-off area behind the Ashford family summer home.

"I'm very happy to see you too, Milly!" Nunnally managed to gasp before Milly realized how tight she was holding her. Loosening her hold, the Ashford heiress immediately apologized.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! Forgive my roughness, its just that I've missed you so much." She turned to Suzaku, Kallen, and the rest and bowed. "I'm sorry; I must apologize to all of you as well. You must be tired from your long flight; I have already prepared your rooms as well as dinner. I regret to say that I have sent all my servants on leave to maintain the secrecy of your stay so we will have to attend to our own personal needs for awhile. I hope that won't be too inconvenient for you; I know you are used to having the assistance of your servants."

Suzaku shook his head as he set his bag down and gave Milly a gentle hug. "It's all right, Milly, there is no need to apologize. You've already helped us a great deal by allowing us to stay here; we'll be just fine without the servants. In fact, I prefer that no one else here know about our stay."

"I agree" Kallen said "The fewer people who know about our plan, the better. It is vital to our success that no one knows of the empress's presence here so not having the convenience of the servants is a small price to pay." The Knight of Four grinned as she looked at her old friend and then Suzaku, "After all, we did just fine without them when we were still students here, didn't we? I for one, haven't allowed the luxury of the royal palace to spoil me."

Milly laughed. "Of course, not; that's just like you, Kallen. But enough, you've all had such a long trip, I'm sure you must be famished. I have prepared the rooms before your arrival; all of you are free to use any room you like so go ahead and bring your luggage in. You can unpack later after dinner; we must eat before the food grows cold. I'm also looking forward to hearing what's been going on so I can better assist you."

**SSSSSS**

"I see…so that's what's been happening. I knew there must have been more to this then what the media has been telling the public." Milly said as she looked down at her food. The Ashford heiress did not seem too surprised that there have been additional assassination attempts on Nunnally after the bombing incident.

"Yes, we were able to keep the poisoning incidents and phone call secret from the public because they were more subtle though no less serious. I was even more alarmed because it meant that the killer was closer then I thought, most definitely a palace resident able to move about freely; it was then that I decided to bring Nunnally here while the other Knights search for her stalker back home." Suzaku explained. During dinner, he revealed to Milly what she had not heard from the media while the others ate and listened in silence. After the dark knight finished his story, she turned to Nunnally, sympathy apparent in her eyes.

"Poor thing… I'm sure it must have been a terrifying ordeal. I'm glad you came to me; I promise I'll do everything in my power to help you and make you comfortable for the duration of your stay."

The empress blushed and lowered her head as she slowly stirred at her stew with her spoon. Nunnally was grateful for her friend's help and support but hated having to drag Milly into her messy and complicated situation. "Thank you, Milly, and all of you for doing this. I am grateful for everything you've done for me but still, I hate it that I got you involved. Someone has already died because of me and many more have been hurt; it pains me because I feel so powerless to stop it."

"Don't feel bad, its not your fault" Kallen said gently as she placed her hand on Nunnally's. "Yes, I understand it's hard not knowing who your enemy is but that's what we're here for. Looking out for you is what we do and I'm not just saying this as a Knight but also as your friend."

Milly nodded her agreement and seized the opportunity to change the subject. "That's right! And although I wish it could have been under different circumstances, I'm glad I have the chance to see you again. The last time I saw you was at your coronation ceremony; how has it been re-adjusting to life in the palace after living in exile for so long?"

"To be honest, it has its ups and downs. Yes, I am grateful to have back my royal status and birthright but it was hard for me to give up the personal freedom I had before. I do kind of miss the days I could go out in public without drawing a crowd and being surrounded by bodyguards."

Sayako chuckled. "Is that really such a bad thing?" she asked "It's always better to have people drawn to you then away from you." It was true; Nunnally's beauty and gracious nature drew people to her like a magnet. Her subjects adored her, making it a lot easier for her to rule, unlike her feared and despised father and brother who had to deal with rebellions and other forms of opposition constantly throughout their reigns.

"Well, I never thought I would sit on the throne of Britannia but since I have inherited it, I have to accept the bad along with the good. Giving up some personal freedom is a small price to pay for the power to change the world for the better."

"I'm glad you see it that way, Nunnally. And from what I can tell, you've seem to have handled your duties and responsibilities very well." Milly then turned to Carline "I'm happy to see all of my old friends here again as well as having the pleasure of meeting you, Princess Carline. This is the first time I've met another member of the Britannian royal family asides from Lelouch and Nunnally; I would like to know more about you as well."

Carline, who had been silently sipping at her soup and nibbling at some bread until now, was startled. She hadn't expected Milly to take such a sudden interest in her; very people ever did in comparison to her royal sisters and she was not in the habit of drawing attention to herself. To everyone, Carline appeared content to stay in the background while not performing her royal duties. Since she did not meet new people often, she wasn't sure how to answer Milly's inquires.

"Well…" Carline began "There's not much to tell. Asides from being a Princess of Britannia and performing my duties as such, I don't believe there is anything about me worth talking about. I don't get out of the palace a lot and people don't pay much attention to me and what I do, unlike Nunnally, who I believe is the most interesting of the royal siblings."

To this, Milly raised her eyebrows in surprise at such a humble answer from fifth princess. "Come now, everyone has qualities worth talking about; no life is ever uninteresting. Even if you think your life is nothing spectacular, you must still have interests, dreams, and ambitions."

Carline put her spoon down, wiped her mouth with her napkin, and looked up at the ceiling for a moment as she thought on how to best answer Milly. Of course, she felt uncomfortable being poked and prodded but felt obligated to do so out of courtesy to her hostess. "Well, when I was younger, I used to want to be commander-in-chief of the Britannian military but I knew that Cornelia was much more qualified for the job then I was. Since I couldn't have that, I wished for some kind of position in the military simply because I wanted to go out and win glory for my country. Of course, father wouldn't allow that either as he didn't think I was soldier material. After all, I'm not Cornelia or Schneizel."

Curious, Milly wanted to press Carline further but Sayako sensed her discomfort and decided to change the subject. In her three years living and working at the Imperial Palace, she had gotten to know the royal siblings quite well as making sure they remained loyal to Nunnally was one of her duties. "Milly, this food is delicious. Did you make it yourself? I'm sure it must have been hard for you with all the servants gone."

"Oh, thank you. No, it wasn't hard at all; I enjoy cooking. I take every opportunity to get better at it and I've made a lot of progress over the last few years. There was a time not too long ago when I couldn't even make eggs and toast right, haha. The only drawback was how long it took since I was cooking by myself without the assistance of the servants but it did get done as you can see."

"And I commend you" Sayako praised "We appreciate you taking the time to host us during our stay but won't that take you away from your job? From what I heard, news reporters are always working, especially on call."

"Ahh…about that, I've quit that job a while ago. I eventually discovered that journalism isn't really my cup of tea. Instead, I chose to return home and run my family's university as its principal. Right now, school is out for the summer; there are summer classes but I do not need to be there since I've arranged for another relative of mine to serve as principal in my place while I am here with all of you. Trust me, Nunnally's safety is of great import to me so I will do anything I can to make helping all of you possible."

The rest of dinner went by with talks of what everyone has been up to for the past three years, those present and not present. All had stories to tell to keep the conversation alive, all except Carline who remained oddly silent for the rest of the dinner. Suzaku noticed how seemingly unable or unwilling she was to add to the conversation. Perhaps she was just being shy or just didn't feel confident enough to talk about herself further. Whatever the reason, he decided to pay her a visit later to see what was bothering her and maybe offer some comfort.

**SSSSSS**

"Carline, are you awake? It's me, Suzaku." The dark knight called quietly as he rapped softly on the princess's door. The others had already retired for the evening but he decided to take some time aside to check up on Carline. It was still early, just a quarter past ten but he and the rest of his party had a long trip so there was a chance she might already be asleep. He decided to wait a few moments to be certain before heading back to his room.

Just as he was getting ready to leave, Suzaku heard the sound of the door being unlocked on the other side and slowly sliding open. Carline stood before him clad in the white Victorian style nightdress Milly had provided for her, her long red hair unbound and cascading down her back and about her shoulders.

"Yes, my lord?"

Suzaku made a bow. "I'm sorry, did I wake you?" The princess shook her head.

"Not at all. I am a little tired from our trip but still not quite enough to sleep yet. Is there anything you need of me?"

"No…" he began "Actually, I wanted to ask if there was anything you needed of _me_. As the one in charge of the group, I am responsible for all of its members. Your well being is of great import to me."

Carline looked at him in confusion. "Well, I appreciate your concern and thoughtfulness, my lord but I am perfectly fine. Whatever made you think I needed anything?"

"Well…at dinner, when Milly questioned you, I noticed how uncomfortable you were with her inquiries. I apologize if she said anything that might have offended you, she didn't mean it. Milly's a good woman; she just has the insatiable curiosity of a child and sometimes has difficulty taking a hint."

"I see…well, it's alright, I'm not offended; I know she didn't mean it. My discomfort isn't because of her; I'm just a little shy around new people, that's all."

Suzaku gave a small sigh of relief. "Thank you for understanding. Even though we don't know each other very well, please remember that I'm here for you just as much as for Nunnally. If there is ever anything you need of me, please don't hesitate to ask. Good night and sleep well, my lady." Bowing again, the dark knight prepared to take his leave when he heard Carline call out behind him.

"Wait!' she cried. Out of curiosity, Suzaku turned around and glanced back at her. "Thank you for coming to see me tonight; I'm glad you came. I do not need anything at the moment but I appreciate the offer. Good night to you as well, my lord."

"Your welcome, Carline; goodnight."

**A/N: Hi, I'm back. Sorry for the delay; I wanted to write at least a chapter a week until the story was finished but other things kept getting in the way. Ironically, I had more free time when I was sick but couldn't stop coughing long enough to write. Now that I'm in the recovery phase, I can. For now, all I can promise is to update as fast as I can so if I appear to be taking a little long, please bear with me.**


	12. 11: Peaceful Days

**A/N: Hi, everyone; back again. Sorry for the wait, but it took me a while to decide how I wanted this chapter to go. Anyway, this is the part where Suzaku and Nunnally finally start to get closer then they've been previously and I hope my readers will find my story more interesting then before. And now, on with the show! ; )**

**Chapter 11: Peaceful Days**

"_It's him! Zero!"_

_Nunnally lifted her head and looked up after she heard the gasps of the people around her. Being chained like an animal to a parade float and displayed before an entire city by her own brother had left her too ashamed to even let anyone see her face. How ironic that she wished she was still blind, not so that she wouldn't see the looks of pity on the people's faces at her predicament, but so that she wouldn't have to see what was to happen in the next few moments._

_As soon as Nunnally lifted her head and looked ahead of her, she saw what had caught the attention of the entire city. It was a tall masked man in a dark suit armed with an exotic and very dangerous looking broadsword. Even if she wasn't already paralyzed, she would not have been able to move or utter a single word out of shock at seeing the famous dark knight of justice that everyone knew so well._

_Zero_

_Before anyone could react, the dark knight dashed towards the float carrying Lelouch's throne, easily dodging the bullets that were fired at him by the knightmare frames surrounding the emperor and forcing his way past Lord Jeremiah with little effort. Nunnally felt her heart freeze in terror, thinking that the man was coming for her and knowing that she was powerless to stop him but her fear soon turned to confusion as the dark knight quickly moved past her as if she wasn't there and onto his real target…_

_No, not again! Nunnally knew all too well what was going to happen next. She had had this dream so many times before and it killed her knowing that she was powerless to change anything. She could only watch helplessly as the man named Zero pulled back his sword and plunged it into Lelouch's chest after swiftly knocking the pistol out of his hand. It was only a few moments but to her, it felt like an eternity; she couldn't understand why her brother did nothing more to protect himself after he had lost his pistol, why he just stood there and smiled as his would-be-murderer buried his blade up to the hilt in his chest. It was almost as if he knew it was inevitable and simply accepted it._

_Nunnally had no time to ponder the matter as she saw her brother's eyes widen in shock and heard him gasp in pain as he leaned over and gripped Zero's shoulder with one hand for support. She wasn't sure if she imagined it, but she thought she saw the two exchange words briefly before Lelouch collapsed and landed next to her after leaving a thirty-foot trail of blood on the slope below his throne._

"_Oni-sama!" she cried as she grabbed his hand. Lelouch slowly opened his eyes and looked at her weakly. When he did so, she saw not an insane monarch driven mad by lust for power, but the big brother that she loved._

"_Nunnally…" he whispered, his voice racked with pain._

_There were so many things she wanted to ask him but as soon as she touched his hand, her mind was filled with flashing thoughts and visions that were not her own. It was then that Nunnally realized that she was experiencing her brother's memories and he was unconsciously communicating them to her telepathically. The visions told her all that she needed to know without Lelouch having to utter a single word. All she can ask now was "Why?" as hot tears streamed down her face._

_As weak as he was, Lelouch raised a hand to Nunnally's cheek and gently wiped a tear from her face in a gesture of comfort, just as he did when they were children. How ironic it was for him to offer her comfort when he was the one who was dying!_

"_Shh…don't cry, Nunnally" he whispered "This is the way it should be. I've sent so many people to their deaths, its only fitting that I die the same way. My only regret is that I won't be there to see you grow and have a family of your own one day. I know that you will be a great empress; be strong and remember always, I love you." As horrified as she was, Nunnally was also amazed at how her brother can still smile and speak to her when every word he said must have caused him agonizing pain._

"_No, this isn't what I wanted!" she cried "I don't want the crown, I just want to be with you so please don't leave me; I have no one!"In desperation, Nunnally frantically tried to stop the bleeding in Lelouch's chest but the wound was too deep and fatal; his blood gushed like a torrent between her fingers, taking his life along with it. She knew he didn't have much time left but couldn't bring herself to accept it._

"_I'm sorry, Nunnally", he gasped, "But there's nothing more I can do; trust in Suzaku, he will be there for you, I promise." Lelouch's breathing became shallow and ragged as he finally lost his ability to speak; Nunnally felt his hand shake uncontrollably as if he were freezing. She knew he was going into shock, no doubt from blood loss; he had already lost over a quarter of his blood and continued to bleed non-stop onto her, staining her orange prison gown red. But she could not notice that now._

"_Oni-sama… Lelouch, I love you… I always will…" Nunnally whispered softly as she kissed his forehead and buried her face in his neck. Since she knew she could not save him from his fate, the only thing she could do is tell him what he needed to hear while he still can. She was grateful to see him smile down at her when she lifted her head and looked into his eyes before he closed them as he entered a sleep from which he would never awake._

_Nunnally finally felt her brother go cold and limp in her arms. Cradling his lifeless body, she wailed uncontrollably as the people around her cheered and praised Zero for bringing down the Mad Emperor. But she didn't hear them; nothing mattered to her now, only the beloved brother who was now lost to her forever…_

**SSSSSS**

Nunnally awoke with a start and quickly sat up, tightly clutching the bed sheets tightly to her chest as she tried to calm her ragged breathing. Looking around, she saw that she was in a guest bedroom in the Ashford Family summer home. Glancing at the clock on the wall, she noticed it was around three o' clock in the morning, about four hours from the time she was normally expected to wake up back at the palace so that her servants can start outfitting and accessorizing her in her empress garments to prepare her for the day. Then she remembered that she didn't have to be up that early because she was on a vacation of sorts and can afford to sleep in a little.

_That's right, _she thought, _I'm in Japan, at Milly's summer home, hiding out from an insane killer after my life. _After she calmed herself down, Nunnally frowned.

It was that dream again.

Lelouch's final moments continued to haunt her, even three years after his death. Every time she had that dream, she was painfully aware of it, aware that she was reliving the past and knowing that she could not change it even though she wanted to, most desperately. It was an experience so dramatic that every moment of it was burned into her memory forever. Nunnally had this dream so many times that she knew every detail of it from the way Zero moved, the swiftness of his blade, and the way he buried it into her brother's chest. It seemed so real that she could almost feel Lelouch's breathing on her cheek as he uttered his last words to her.

Nunnally had this dream almost every night for months after her brother died. She remembered how she used to wake up screaming in the middle of the night and needing Suzaku to calm her enough so that she could fall asleep again. She remembered how he used to hold her close and stroke her hair while whispering gentle words of comfort and rocking her like a child. Though grateful for his reassurance, Nunnally also felt guilty at causing him to loose sleep those first few months: him and the rest of the palace inhabitants. But he never complained, always being there for her whenever she needed him.

The empress smiled sadly as she laid back down and tried to get herself relaxed enough to fall asleep again. It's been a while since she had that dream and even though it became less frequent and intense over time, she never truly stopped having it altogether. And as strange as it may sound, she wasn't sure if she wanted to. Yes, she did have to see the terrible way in which her brother died again, but at least she was also able to relive the last moments they shared together as well and that made the dream somewhat more bearable. Nunnally was grateful that she could at least wake up from it without screaming and needing Suzaku to calm her for she imagined he must be tired of it by now. She didn't want to burden him with that as well when he already had enough worries on his mind as it was.

As she thought about Suzaku and her current predicament once more, Nunnally frowned again. Even if she could never stop having this dream for the rest of her life, she wished it would stop for a while so that she could concentrate on the situation at hand. True, her stalker was back home in Britannia, thousands of miles from where she was now but that didn't mean she should let her guard down even though there wasn't much she could do but wait for Cornelia and the rest of the Knights to catch him so that she could return home. The only thing she probably could do was to stay alive until then and at least try to enjoy herself while she was out here in Japan, away from her duties as empress for the time being. As she pondered about what she wanted to do, Nunnally was finally able to relax enough to fall asleep again, and thankfully, until the morning came.

**SSSSSS**

When Nunnally finally awoke again, it was almost nine o' clock. She almost never slept past seven and was surprised until she remembered that there were no servants here to wake her and didn't think to set her alarm since she had no schedule to follow out here. As the young empress got out of bed, she glanced around her room to the wooden antique wardrobe where her clothes were being kept while thinking about what she should wear for the day, something she hadn't done since she was a student at Ashford Academy. Ever since she became empress, Sayako took it upon herself to decide for her and Nunnally allowed it because it was more convenient then having to decide for herself among the hundreds of gowns she had back home, something she was never good at doing; the chief maid always knew what looked best on her for every day, season, and event.

But she need not worry about that now; since she was out in the Japanese countryside for the time being, she would not be wearing her heavy royal gowns but normal clothes so she could fit in- not that there were many other people out here that she needed to fit in with- but that wasn't the point. Looking at the antique wardrobe, Nunnally saw that a simple, but lovely blue and white country dress with a black under bust corset was hung in front of it for her already and smiled. It looked like Sayako came in earlier and prepared it for her while she was asleep for the dress was already neatly ironed and ready for her to wear, not that she would have had a problem ironing it herself. Wanting to start her day as soon as possible, Nunnally quickly washed up, got dressed, and put on a dab of make-up before heading downstairs to the kitchen to help Milly prepare breakfast.

"Good morning, Nunnally! Did you sleep well?" Milly asked over her shoulder as she was tending to the food on the stove. Sayako was in the kitchen preparing breakfast as well and the food was almost done cooking so there was not much left for Nunnally to do which disappointed her a little because she really wanted to help.

Trying not to think about the dream, Nunnally lied "Yes, I slept well. Had pleasant dreams, haha… Anyway, I wish I was able to get up earlier; I didn't want to leave you all the trouble of making breakfast for us. But at least I'll set up the table if you tell me where the dishes and utensils are."

"Oh, it's no trouble at all" Milly said cheerfully "You're my guests and I'm happy to see you again after so long; it's the least I can do. But if you really want to help, they're in that cupboard." Nunnally wasted no time.

"Thanks" she said as she started pulling the dishes out of the cupboard- she'd come back for the cups and utensils after setting them on the table "So are Suzaku and Kallen awake yet? I bet they must be pretty hungry by now."

"I believe they're still asleep" Sayako answered as she pulled some freshly baked bread out of the oven "Its ok, let them sleep a little longer. After all, they stayed up all night to pilot the jet that brought us here while we slept. It's the least we can do. As for Carline, I asked her to get some fruit from the trees outside. She'll be back in a minute to join us."

Nunnally raised her eyebrows at the mention of her red-headed half-sister. Being a princess, she knew Carline was not used to performing menial tasks and had a hard time imagining her running errands like a servant. "Really?" Upon seeing the confounded look on Nunnally's face, Sayako laughed.

"Its like Milly said earlier, we're out in the countryside and she dismissed the servants to protect the secrecy of our stay. Even though it's not something she'd normally do, Carline understands; she didn't give us any trouble."

Nunnally gave a small sigh of relief. "I see…I'm glad." Though she never had a problem with her half-sister, Nunnally knew that Carline was still a princess and used to having her every need and wish met by servants back home. The fact that she was adapting to her temporary life here in Japan without complaint was something the empress was very grateful for because she didn't want to trouble her hostess and friend in any way. "Anyway, I think I should go set up the table now; be back in a minute."

Milly nodded. "Of course, take your time; there's no need to rush. It will be another twenty minutes or so until breakfast is done. By then, Carline will be back and I'm sure Suzaku and Kallen will be awake and ready to join us."

The Ashford heiress was right for as soon as the table was set up and the food laid out, Carline and the two Knights arrived in the dining room just in time to join Nunnally and the others for breakfast.

"Good morning, you two, how did you sleep?" Milly asked.

"Honestly? Like a rock" Suzaku answered with a grin and a wink.

"Same here" Kallen added with a yawn but there was still a small smile on her face, showing that she shared her leader's humor.

Milly laughed. "Of course; I imagine piloting a jet all night would make anyone 'sleep like a rock'. But I'm glad you both caught up on sleep at least. Come, breakfast is ready so make yourselves comfortable."

Breakfast went well, better then dinner the night before with Milly doing her best to keep the morning conversation light and pleasant to keep her friends' minds off the hectic events that had been happening back in Britannia; she especially wanted Nunnally to forget her troubles for the time being and make her feel like she was on a pleasant vacation instead of hiding out from an insane killer back home. Suzaku was also glad to see that Carline was trying to be more talkative and pleasant then the night before; she was still a little shy but at least it was a start.

"My, your cooking tastes better every time I eat it" the Knight praised his hostess "In fact, it's improved much more from last night."

"Well, I'm glad you think so" Milly said "I've been taking lessons from Sayako this morning. In fact, she baked the bread you're eating right now."

No sooner did those words leave her mouth did Suzaku realize his mistake. He had not even been here a day and already he had said something to insult his hostess and friend without even realizing it. The Knight quickly opened his mouth to apologize when he saw the Ashford heiress simply smiled at him without even the slightest look of offense on her face.

"Its ok, Suzaku" she said gently "There's no need to apologize. I know my cooking skills still need work and I'm happy to have Sayako here to help me improve."

Suzaku gave a quiet sigh of relief. Though grateful Milly was not offended by his remark, he still felt the need to apologize but wasn't sure how to after hearing her say that. Nunnally sensed his discomfort and decided to change the subject.

"Say, this is the first time I've ever been to your family's summer home. I would like to go out for a bit and get some fresh air today. It's not something I get to do often back home."

"Of course, Nunnally. There's a small forest and a lake outside this mansion, just past the garden if you want to see that as well. All of it is part of my property so feel free to go anywhere you like. Just try to be back before dark if you decide to go into the forest; even though it's small, you might have a hard time finding your way around without sunlight."

"Thank you, Milly. I really appreciate it. I would like some company; would any of you like to join me?"

"Of course I would" Suzaku answered. He really did want to go outside for a bit but even if he didn't, there was no way he could let Nunnally wander about alone outside, even if her stalker was thousands of miles away; there could be other dangers lurking in unexpected places.

"Yes, go ahead and enjoy yourselves" Sayako said "Just leave the clean-up to us."

"Are you sure that's all right?" Nunnally asked "I would be more then happy to help you clean up before I go. It's not like I have to go right now."

"No, its ok" Milly insisted "You are my guest and this is your vacation so don't worry about it."

"I see…" Nunnally said "Would anyone else like to join us? Carline? Kallen?"

"I'm afraid I must decline" Kallen answered politely "I still have some unpacking to do; didn't get around to it yet since I slept so much."

"I also prefer to stay here and help clean up" Carline added "I'd also like to take a little tour around the mansion before I start looking around outside if that's ok with everyone. You two go ahead and have fun."

"We understand" Suzaku said "Well, it looks like it'll be just the two of us, Your Highness. Shall we go now?"

"Thanks but there's no need for formalities since we're all friends here. Since I'm away from palace, I am not Empress Nunnally, just Nunnally. And yes, let's go. Thank you for the wonderful breakfast, Milly, Sayako. Suzaku and I will be back in time to help prepare dinner." And with that, she stood up and bowed to her hostess. Then she turned to her dark knight and stuck out her hand for him to take which he did. Milly could not help but smile as she and the others watch the couple leave the dining room hand in hand…

**SSSSSS**

"Thanks, Nunnally" the Knight said to his empress as soon as they were outside and past the earshot of the others.

"For what?" she asked curiously.

"For covering for me after I insulted Milly's cooking" he answered with a hint of embarrassment in his voice.

Nunnally laughed softly and smiled as she patted his hand. "Its ok, that's what friends are for. Milly herself said don't worry about it; she knows you didn't mean it that way so just leave it at that."

Suzaku sighed. "You're right. Sometimes I worry over the smallest things. Anyway, where would you like to go today?" It felt like a silly question considering that there weren't that many places they could go despite the size of Milly's summer estate, but he had to ask.

"How about that little forest Milly told us about?"

"Sure. Just remember what she said about leaving before dark."

"Of course, let's go."

The forest outside the mansion was small but quite lovely and bursting with life. Like Nunnally, Suzaku was dressed in country garb, his garments consisting of a white collared shirt, a light brown vest, darker brown pants, and knee-high black leather boots. His clothes went well with the empress's dress that consisted of a white top, black corset, and sky blue skirt. Anyone who saw them now would think they were just an ordinary country couple instead of the Empress of Britannia and her chief protector, the Knight of Zero.

Though he left his armor back home, Suzaku still made sure to carry his sword with him in case they should run into any bears or wolves in the forest even though Milly assured him that there was none. His years of experience as a soldier and Knight had taught him that it was always better to be safe then sorry.

"What do you think of this place?" Nunnally asked as she looped her arm into his, something she had wanted to do now that they're finally alone, walking side by side into the small forest.

Suzaku looked around and relaxed his guard a bit when he found no menacing life forms, just harmless birds, squirrels, foxes, and insects. "It's beautiful" he answered. "I was born in Tokyo and grew up there; never had a chance to go out to the countryside. Didn't really want to because I always believed it was boring but I'm surprised to find that there are just as many interesting things out here as in the city."

"Same here" Nunnally said "It's nice to be away from the rowdiness of the city and royal palace for a change. Maybe coming out here wasn't such a bad idea after all; I should do it more often if I get the chance. Thank you for suggesting it."

"It was actually Gino's idea but you're welcome."

Nunnally laughed softly. "Of course, but thank you just the same. This is the first time you've been back to your homeland in three years. Don't you miss it?"

Suzaku seemed prepared for her question, having had this conversation before with Kallen. "I believe that home is where the heart is" his expression lightened as he added "To me, home is wherever you are, Nunnally. Tell me, do _you _miss it here? Even though you're Britannian, Japan has been your home for almost ten years."

Nunnally lowered her head as she thought for a minute. "A little" she answered "Even though it's not the land of my birth, it may as well be since I spent most of my life here before becoming empress. I regret to say that one of the reasons I objected to returning was because of onii-sama."

Suzaku was surprised at the mention of his late friend. "Because of Lelouch? Why?" he asked curiously.

Nunnally lifted her head and looked into his eyes as she answered "Because we lived here together for all of those years we spent in exile. Since he died, I did not wish to return here, especially to Ashford Academy because I knew being surrounded by constant reminders of our childhood would be too painful for me to bear." Upon hearing this revelation, Suzaku frowned. Although he hated to ask, he felt he had to know.

"Nunnally, are you still having that dream?" He need not be any more specific then that for she knew exactly what he was talking about.

"Occasionally" she admitted "It's not as bad as it used to be, believe me."

"But you never stopped having it, did you?"

Nunnally was silent for a moment; she really preferred not to say but knew that her Knight wasn't going to let her off easily. "No… it still happens but not often. I learned to control myself somewhat; at least I can wake from it without screaming like I used to. I really don't want you or the others to lose sleep just because I had a bad dream."

"Nunnally, you should have told me. You know I'm always here for you no matter what."

"I know and I do appreciate it but really, it's ok. I may never stop having that dream since it was such a dramatic experience for me but I have learned to accept and live with it."

"I see… I really hope it will stop eventually; Lelouch himself would want that too. You know he'd hate for you to be unhappy, especially because of him."

"It took me a while to accept what happened but I eventually did. But that doesn't mean I will love or miss him any less now that he's gone. My greatest regret was that I could not lay him to rest in our family mausoleum because the risk of his body being stolen was too great and I didn't want to take that chance; he died horribly enough. It just kills me to know that he's resting in some unmarked grave somewhere and that I cannot even bring him flowers" she said sadly.

Suzaku was surprised. "You mean C.C never told you where he was buried? You have kept in touch with her, haven't you?"

"Yes, but I haven't heard from her in a while; she stopped writing a year ago. I believe she feared that she might be discovered and decided to cut herself off from me. As for onii-sama's gravesite, she was right not to tell me because she knew I wouldn't be able to resist the temptation to go and risk exposing the location; I cannot blame her for that."

"I understand. Don't feel bad, Nunnally. I know you wanted to keep him near but you must remember that where he is buried is not important so long as it's someplace decent and I'm sure C.C saw to that. Besides, the body is just a shell, it's his spirit that will live on and as long as you keep his memory alive, he will never really die."

"Of course… ahh!" While chatting with her Knight, Nunnally failed to notice a tree root protruding from the ground and tripped over it. She would have fallen on her face if Suzaku had not caught her.

"Nunnally, are you all right?" he asked as he held her up and steadied her. "You should watch your step; there are roots like this everywhere in the forest."

"Yeah, I- oww!" The empress winced in pain as she felt the wound in her left leg sting. It had been more then a week since the bombing incident in the banquet hall and while she was now well enough to walk without a crutch, the wound in her leg had still not completely healed and if she was not careful, she might reopen it.

"Nunnally!" Not wanting to take the chance of that happening, Suzaku quickly bent over and lifted Nunnally into his arms, intending to carry her until she had recovered from the mild shock of her near-fall.

Nunnally felt herself being hoisted into her Knight's strong arms and blushed furiously, hoping that he wouldn't see how red her face was from embarrassment. She didn't want to burden him every time she ran into a problem, especially if it wasn't serious.

"Suzaku, it's ok, really. You don't have to carry me; it's just a little sting, that's all. I can walk on my own." But he would hear none of it and knowing how useless it was to argue with him when his mind was made up, the empress resigned and allowed herself to be carried, at least for a little while. She also couldn't bring herself to protest further when she saw the sour expression on his face.

"Nunnally, I'm a little disappointed in you; I wish you had been more honest with me about how fast your leg was really healing." It was true; she had stretched the truth a bit when she insisted that she was completely healed and able to walk perfectly fine. While she had no problems walking without a crutch, it still didn't mean she could engage in rigorous physical activity, especially hiking in places where there were a lot of things she can trip over and reopen her wound. Nunnally was hoping that Suzaku wouldn't notice but that blasted root had to blow her cover.

"I'm sorry" she apologized, looking down and trying to avoid her Knight's eyes. He gave out a sigh as his expression softened; no matter how much he might want to, he could never stay angry at Nunnally for long.

"It's all right; I'll let it slide this time. Next time, however, I would prefer you to be more honest about your condition."

"Yes, I promise. But please don't make me go back yet; I haven't been outside in such a long time and I really want to enjoy the outdoors… with you" Nunnally added after a moment's thought and was relieved to see Suzaku quietly nod his consent; it has also been a while since he had a chance to be outside like this and he wanted to enjoy it as well. With Nunnally in his arms, he strolled further into the woods, slowly as to let her look around and enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of the small life forms that inhabited it.

While she enjoyed her surroundings, Nunnally had to secretly admit that she enjoyed having Suzaku carry her like a groom carrying his new bride after a splendid wedding. The way he did it was wonderfully gentle, tender, and affectionate. At times, she would lean closer to him and let her head rest on his shoulder, close her eyes, and relax while taking in the pleasant scent of his cologne. It briefly reminded her of how her brother used to carry her when he lifted her from her wheel chair and into her bed every night before tucking her in. Of course, being much physically weaker then Suzaku, he wasn't able to carry her anywhere near as long but did so very affectionately and that was what she loved. Though she loved the way Lelouch once carried her, the way Suzaku did it felt somewhat more intimate, almost like a lover…

Nunnally didn't have much time to ponder the matter; after walking for a few more minutes, the two heard the sound of flowing water. Looking ahead, they saw that they were approaching a small stream. It looked like it was flowing from the mountain behind the forest and possibly to the lake outside Milly's home.

Looking up, she asked "What is it, Suzaku?"

"It looks like a stream. Milly never told me there was one in this forest. I think it connects to the mountain and the lake outside."

"Maybe she didn't know. Even if it is part of her estate, being as busy as she is, she probably didn't have time to explore every part of her family's property. A pity because it's quite lovely; can I see for a bit?" The Knight looked down at her.

"Hmm… are you sure you can walk now?" he teased, smiling as he rocked Nunnally playfully, making her blush furiously.

"Hehe! Stop it! You're making me dizzy!" she giggled, laughing softly for a moment before she forced herself to get serious and cleared her throat. "Really, I'm fine. You can put me down now; I'm sure you must feel tired carrying me by now."

He wasn't, not just yet, but complied with his friend's wishes and gently set her down. "Be careful and watch your step; there's some rocks lying around."

"I will" she promised as she smoothed out her skirts and approached the stream; looking down, Nunnally saw that it wasn't very deep and there were small fishes and tadpoles swimming around as well as some plant life. "Hey, look at this. It's cute, isn't it?" she pointed out as she made a gesture for Suzaku to come closer. The Knight approached to take a look at what Nunnally found so interesting. Though lovely, it was a rather simple sight but to one who rarely set foot outside the palace, it was quite fascinating, especially since the only fish the empress saw up into now was in a tank or fishbowl.

"Do you think we can fish here?" Nunnally asked.

"Well, I suppose we can but the fish here are so small, it might not be worth it. If you really want to go fishing, I can take you out to the lake tomorrow where the fish would be bigger. I'm sure Milly won't mind" he answered. After gazing at the stream for a moment, a thought came to him: "Hey, Nunnally, watch this!" Picking up a small stone, Suzaku swiftly threw it at the water where it skidded on the surface a few times before sinking into the stream. As he predicted, it excited the empress, making her want to try it for herself.

"How cool!" she exclaimed "Can you show me how to do that?"

"Of course. Just take a small stone and toss it like this…"

It took Nunnally a few tries and after sinking a few stones right after tossing them in the stream, she was finally able to make one skid on the surface before it finally sank to the bottom. When success finally came, she placed her hands on her hips and turned towards her Knight with a look of triumph, obviously very proud of herself. He laughed; her childlike innocence amused him to no end and he clapped his hands.

"Well, there you go!" he cheered "I knew you can do it."

Nunnally grinned. "Thanks, I knew I could too" she replied with a wink before sitting down on the soft grass before the water, making a gesture for Suzaku to join her which he did. After he settled down, the empress looped her arms into his once more and leaned into him. As she looked into his eyes, she said "I know I've said this before, but thanks again for bringing me here. I haven't enjoyed myself like this in a long time." Now it was the Knight's turn to blush. It wasn't the first time he had Nunnally this close to him considering how many times he held her to calm her from her nightmares in the past but it was the first time she was this close to him when she was perfectly calm and serene.

Gazing into her light violet eyes, Suzaku was reminded once more of how lovely Nunnally was, not like she wasn't when she was younger, but had become much more beautiful as she matured over the last three years. Only one other woman had eyes like hers, and it was his first love, the late Princess Euphemia. In addition to her beauty and charms, Nunnally was very much like her half-sister in her child-like innocence and compassion for people who was suffering as well as her desire to make the world a better place for them. Still, it would be wrong for him to compare the sisters for both were different individuals with their own unique characteristics.

For a few moments, the two gazed at each other silently, both feeling a little shy and embarrassed to say what was on their minds while wondering what the other was thinking. Ever since they were children, their relationship was much like those of siblings. Being the younger sister of his best friend, Suzaku tended to think of Nunnally as his little sister as well, having no siblings of his own and he was sure she also thought of him as a big brother. Both honestly had to wonder if that hadn't started to change over the last three years. By now, it was becoming clear that they were attracted to each other and could no longer think of themselves as brother and sister because they obviously weren't; they weren't fooling anyone, including themselves.

Just as Suzaku was silently admiring her beauty, Nunnally was admiring his as well, running her eyes across his smooth features and looking deep into his dark emerald-green eyes. She still hadn't faltered in her belief that she didn't think there was any man out there as handsome as her late brother until she saw his face for the first time. As Nunnally adored her big brother and definitely found him as physically pleasing as other girls did, she had to remember that Lelouch was her _brother _and that she could never see Suzaku the way as she saw him. She also couldn't compare the two because like Euphemia and herself, they were both different individuals with their own special shining qualities.

As the Knight's gaze fell upon his empress's lips, he could not help feeling a curious and burning desire to touch them with his own to see if they were as soft and sweet as he thought they were. He wanted to but hesitated (and rightly so) for he knew Nunnally was a forbidden fruit that he would crave again and again once he tasted. It was then that Suzaku realized what a fool he was to put himself into this position by bringing her out here and allowing himself to be alone with her like this. It took all his effort to keep from panicking as he frantically tried to think of how to get himself out of this mess before he gave into temptation.

Fortunately, (or unfortunately), Nunnally saved him the trouble of deciding and took the decision out of his hands for she quickly leaned over and kissed Suzaku on his lips, almost making him jump. Like him, she was tempted and though it wasn't like her to take reckless chances, she felt like this was one chance that she _had _to take; the moment was perfect and she'd never forgive herself if she were to let it pass her by. Nunnally knew her Knight wanted it as much as she did but as soon she saw the hesitation on his face, she knew she had to act before he changed his mind.

When he felt her lips on his, Suzaku stiffened at first. His first instinct was to put his hands on Nunnally's shoulders and gently push her away from him. Even though he knew that was what he _should_ do, he discovered that his hands would not move to obey him, much to his dismay. How could this happen? He was a Knight and was supposed to show more self discipline then that even though there was no one here to witness his failure. Yet, he found his resolve being melted effortlessly by the woman he was supposed to protect; what a fool he was!

_Smooth move, genius, _a voice inside his head mocked. Oh no, now his thoughts were turning against him as well. He wanted to fight it at first but after realizing how futile it would be, finally gave up and allowed his heart's desires to surface and take over.

_Yes, I am such a genius _the Knight silently agreed as he relaxed, pulled his empress closer and returned her kiss. For the moment, the two forgot about their positions as they indulged in a secret, long-desired kiss away from the rest of the world, a kiss that kindled desire…

**A/N: Ok, the romance finally happens! :D I know a lot of you has been looking forward to it so I'm tried my best to make it good and hopefully, I can make it better later. Anyway, I know everything seems to be running so perfectly, BUT, not everything is as it seems as I will reveal later (A good story still needs some plot twists) ;) Anyway, hope you all enjoyed this chapter and please review! **


	13. 12: Mission Impossible?

**A/N: Hey everyone, I'm back! Just so you know, this chapter takes a break from our couple's 'vacation' in Japan and focuses on the rest of the Knights' hunt for the mysterious assassin back in Britannia. It's supposed to be happening roughly simultaneously as the last chapter I wrote; I feel it's very important to the story to shift back and forth between the two parties even though I'm focusing mostly on the party overseas. Now on with the show! :D**

**Chapter 12: Mission Impossible?**

"Can you loosen it up a little?" Mary whined "It's a little tight."

Anya rolled her eyes at the request. "It's a corset, Mary, it's supposed to be tight." It was early morning in Britannia; the bright rays of the rising sun had barely started pouring into the royal bedchamber and Cornelia and Anya were already busy outfitting and accessorizing Mary Gilford in the empress's garments to prepare her for her first day as Nunnally's double. Normally, this was done by Sayako and a handful of other maidservants but the chief maid was overseas with Nunnally and Cornelia didn't want any of the servants getting too close to Mary as they may realize that her sister-in-law was not the real empress.

"I know but I'm not used to wearing corsets and poofy dresses so can you cut me some slack and loosen it up just a little, please?" Anya looked up at Cornelia who was busy brushing Mary's newly dyed honey colored hair and pulling part of it back in a half-updo. The older woman nodded her approval and Anya gave in, loosening up Mary's corset a notch, much to her relief. Being a soldier, she was not used to wearing corsets, dresses, fancy jewelry, and other ornaments. This mission was the first she had that ever required her to do so and she wasn't quite prepared for it. It was clearly a mission like no other. Not only was the corset restricting and uncomfortable, but the gown she was wearing was also quite heavy; Mary swore she was wearing at least twenty pounds of fabric and how the seemingly frail empress can wear such garments day in and day out was beyond her.

Cornelia seemed to read her thoughts for she answered "Its like anything else, Mary, you get used to it after a while. But I do understand how you feel." It was true; Cornelia was not much for feminine garb herself, the only time she had ever worn a dress was on her wedding day, two years ago. With the exception of her wedding ring, the commander-in-chief wore no jewelry and minimal make-up. Nunnally had given her some perfume as a wedding gift which she rarely ever used, only wearing it on special occasions as a courtesy to her little sister.

"Are all her dresses as heavy as this?" Mary asked.

"I'm afraid so" Anya answered "I know its different from what you're used to but please try and bear with it for a while, for Nunnally's sake."

"Of course, its not that I'm worried about; I'm more concerned about these garments hampering my ability to protect myself should I happen to get into a confrontation with the killer."

"You need not worry about that" Cornelia assured "Gino and Jeremiah will follow and watch you wherever you go. They will stay out of sight, but always close enough to come to your aid should you need them. You can also use that pendant to call for them as well as me and Anya."

Mary looked down at the simple silver heart-shaped pendant around her neck with a blue sapphire in the middle. The jewel looked like any other but was really a device created by Lloyd that would enable her to communicate with her protectors. Anya and Cornelia would be able to hear her through their cell phones when she talked into it. Though Cornelia had already been over that with her before, having a reminder made Mary feel at ease again. Normally, she would have no trouble protecting herself but since the heavy garments restricted her movements, she would no doubt require the protection of the Knights. In addition to that, her sister-in-law also gave her a pistol that she could hide in the folds of her gown and reach for should she find herself in a situation where it was needed.

"Thanks for reminding me" Mary sighed in relief "I needed that."

"Your welcome; do you remember everything we went over? Remember that the servant boy who normally brings your meals is Robin and the one who brings your mail is Thomas. These are the servants that you must remember for other then Sayako, they are the ones who often gets closest to the empress. Also remember not to let any of the other servants and guards get too close to you if you can help it; although your resemblance to Nunnally is striking, the two of you are not completely identical. There is a chance that the more perceptive of the staff will notice if they get close enough to observe you."

Mary nodded. "I understand, Cornelia. I will do everything I can to make this mission a success so that the empress can return home."

"Good. Now let us hurry, its almost time for breakfast. As soon as we're done here, you must head down to the banquet hall; Robin will be expecting you." Cornelia and Anya picked up the pace and as soon as the last hair ornament was put in place, Mary was sent on her way; the commander-in-chief and Knight of Three watched her as she made her way out of the royal bedchamber and down to the banquet hall for breakfast.

After Mary was gone, Anya turned to her friend and asked "Do you think she will be alright? I know this is different from any other mission she has ever been on."

"She will be fine" Cornelia assured "We just need to keep a close eye on her but I'm sure she will have no problem pulling this off; I trust her. But what about you? Gino told me that Sayako left you in charge of the servants in her absence. Are you doing all right with that?"

Anya nodded. "Managing servants may not be my field of expertise but Lady Sayako left me instructions that I will have no trouble following. She wrote a month's worth of schedules and all I have to do is make sure the servants follow them. If the others are not back by the end of the month, I only need to call her and she will send me a new set of schedules. She also told me to tell the staff that she was visiting a sick relative and won't be back for a while."

Cornelia nodded. "Good. But remember what Suzaku said about the killer being a palace resident. We have to keep a lookout for any suspicious activity among the servants and guards. I myself will be sleeping in this room for a while so I can better protect Mary."

"I understand. I guess all we can do now is hope for the best. I trust Suzaku and Kallen to do their part in protecting the empress until we can catch the killer."

"So do I, Anya…so do I."

**SSSSSS**

"Good morning, Your Highness!" Robin greeted as he entered the banquet hall in his usual cheerful manner. Unlike before, he was exactly on time and well rested as well as full, having remembered to take to bed early so he would have enough time to eat breakfast before work. The plate in his hands was topped with an omelet and freshly-baked bread, both of which were left untouched, the boy having learned his lesson with his recent brush with death even though he knew that another assassination attempt through poisoning was unlikely due to Chef Louis's new precautions.

"Good morning, my dear" Mary answered with a smile at she seated herself and waited patiently for the servant boy to place the food on the table, just as she knew Nunnally would. Thankfully, Cornelia had given her a crash course on royal etiquette so Mary would know exactly how to react to the servants and guards. Sitting on her chair, she placed her hands on her lap and watched as Robin gently placed her breakfast on the table and pour her a glass of wine from the bottle in the center. When he finished, the boy bowed and took a few steps back with his hands folded in front of him. Looking at him, Mary was curious as to why he showed no signs of leaving until she remembered that Sayako would stay near the empress at mealtimes to attend to her needs and provide some company. Since the chief maid was not here, Robin had taken it upon himself to substitute as best as he could.

As Mary slowly ate her breakfast, she noticed that the servant boy was looking at her curiously as though he noticed something out of the ordinary but was too polite to say anything. Uncomfortable with his silent observation of her, Mary decided to ask what was on his mind.

"Robin, is there something the matter?"

The boy jumped a little at the sudden question. Shifting his feet, he hesitated for a moment before answering. "Oh, nothing's the matter; I was just admiring your arms."

Upon hearing his answer, she was surprised. "My arms?" she asked in confusion "What about them?"

"Well… they're quite buff, more so then I remembered. Have you been working out, Your Highness?"

Mary felt a bead of sweat forming on her forehead. Due to her military training, she had a more athletic build then the real empress, something she hadn't given thought to until now. What if all the servants noticed? Then her cover would be blown and all of Cornelia and Anya's efforts would have been for nothing; she had to think of something and quick.

"Why, yes…" she answered, trying to make the lie sound as smooth as she could, lying being another thing she wasn't used to. "I've been thinking that I needed more exercise anyway. Its really good for you, you should try it sometime, Robin. Anyway, you may leave now; I have a lot on my mind and need some time alone to think."

"Of course. Enjoy your breakfast, Your Highness. If you are in need of anything else, please don't hesitate to call me." Mary nodded and watched as the servant boy bowed and left the banquet hall. After he was gone, the girl gave a sigh of relief. As soon as he made the comment about her arms, the only thing she could think of to do was send him away before he could notice anything else unusual about her. She was fortunate that he didn't and made a mental note to wear dresses with long sleeves from now on until the real empress returned.

**SSSSSS**

The rest of the day went by smoothly. As Cornelia had instructed, Mary did her best to keep her distance from and maintain as little contact with the other palace residents as much as possible. The commander-in-chief had already made the announcement that the empress would not be making any public appearances for a while due to illness so Mary was to remain inside the palace and not let any outsiders see her if she could help it. She was also to contact Cornelia and the other Knights if she saw anything suspicious or out of the ordinary.

Despite all the precautions Mary had to take, she was allowed to wander about the palace as she pleased so the mission was not without its advantages. She would have liked to see the gifts that the empress's countless suitors have given her but the room where they were stored was closed off after the poisoning incident that resulted in the death of a maidservant. Mary didn't know all the details but she heard that the maid had tried on a poisoned silk gown that was meant for Nunnally and that the poison sentenced her to an agonizing albeit swift death. Knowing that made her hesitant to put on any of Nunnally's clothes until Cornelia and Anya assured her that they had checked the empress's entire wardrobe for poisoning before letting her try anything on.

As her sister-in-law had promised, Jeremiah and Gino were never too far from her. Throughout the day, they had followed and watched her as she toured the palace. Mary was somewhat familiar with the Imperial Royal Palace, having been here many times while visiting Cornelia. Of course, she knew that there were parts of it she had not seen and was not familiar with so she passed the time wandering from one part to another, exploring the gardens, courtyard, library, and even the Royal Mausoleum. It was fortunate that the palace was huge and that she would not be able to explore all of it in a day for she wanted to see something new everyday until Nunnally returned if possible. When dinnertime came, Mary returned to the banquet hall where she was once again waited upon by Robin. Like before, she dismissed him quickly to keep him from noticing anything else unusual about her like her colored contacts which didn't look totally natural.

As she dined, Mary heard the doors to the banquet hall open and her hand slid into the folds of her gown to reach for her pistol when she saw Cornelia and Anya enter the room. As soon as they did, the girl relaxed her guard and released her hold on the weapon. After entering, the commander-in-chief and Knight of Three pulled out chairs and sat down to discuss the day's events with the empress's double.

"How did your first day go?" Cornelia asked as she reached over and plucked a biscuit from Mary's plate. She had spent the whole day investigating the palace staff while Anya managed them so neither had time to eat much. Though it was not something she would normally do, Cornelia felt like she needed some food to give her much needed energy to continue working until it was time to close the palace off and knew her sister-in-law wouldn't mind; Nunnally herself wouldn't have minded.

"It went well" Mary answered "I toured the palace and so far, I've found nothing out of the ordinary. I guess the hardest part of this mission is finding things to do to pass the time until the empress returns; that and wearing her corsets and heavy royal gowns."

Anya couldn't help but smile. "You're doing great. Just keep doing what you're doing and remember to try and appear relaxed and unsuspecting of anything; the killer will no doubt show himself soon if he thinks you're letting your guard down."

"Yes, of course, it is as you say. By the way, would you like anything? The chef has made me quite a large dinner and I don't think I can finish it all. I would give me great pleasure if you and Cornelia sat down and joined me; I would appreciate your company as it has been a long day."

"I would, thank you." the pink-haired Knight answered as she accepted a piece of roast Mary had offered. Taking out the utensils from their folded napkins, the two women proceeded to take her offer and share her dinner, which was big enough to feed two to three people.

"So what's next?" Mary asked.

"Well, Nunnally normally bathes after dinner and before bedtime. Like her, you're going to need help getting out of your gown and corset before you can bathe" Cornelia answered as she chewed on her biscuit "We will help you with that. If you can't go to sleep right after your bath, you can read or watch TV until you can. I myself will be sleeping in the same room with you so you can rest easy. Anya and the other Knights' rooms are just down the hall and they are light sleepers like myself so they will be ready should they be needed."

Mary sighed with relief; having her sister-in-law near would greatly reduce the chances of her being killed in her sleep for she knew Cornelia was a strong woman and just as capable as any of the male Knights of taking on an assassin. "Thank you, sis, I appreciate it. Is there anything else I can do to make your job easier?"

"Just let us know if you see or feel anything unusual" Anya answered. "Did you notice anything out of the ordinary today?"

Mary thought for a moment. The day had been for the most part, uneventful except for breakfast time when Robin made a comment about her muscular arms. It seemed so minor that she wondered if it was even worth mentioning to her protectors. In the end, she decided that it would be best to let them know of anything abnormal, no matter how minor.

"Well, when I was eating breakfast today, Robin noticed and made a comment about my arms." Mary answered.

The other women raised their eyebrows in curiosity. "What did he say?" Cornelia asked.

"Well, he said that he thought my arms were more buff then he remembered and asked me if I had been working out. I didn't think of it before, but hearing his comment made me realize that I have a much more athletic build then Her Highness. I think that until the empress returns, I should conceal my arms with long sleeves as I'm sure the other palace residents will notice if I continue to bare them."

Upon looking at the girl's arms, Anya and Cornelia had to agree. Like Mary, they too had not given any thought to the differences between her build and Nunnally's build until now. If a child can notice the difference, there was no doubt the adult servants would be able to as well and that was the last thing they wanted.

"You're right" Anya said "We will have to make some changes when we dress you tomorrow. Unfortunately, most of Nunnally's royal gowns are sleeveless or partially sleeveless so we will have to substitute with a shawl. If any of the palace residents ask, you can say you are cold from illness and need to cover up to keep warm."

Cornelia chuckled at her friend's suggestion. "You're really something, Anya" she commented "I'm amazed at how quick and easily you can come up with helpful solutions to almost any kind of problem. If only Gino could do the same; I notice he has the distressing habit of doing the opposite."

The Knight of Three rolled her eyes. "Well, when you come from humble beginnings like I do, you learn to improvise whenever you run into problems. Besides, coming up with solutions to problems such as this isn't exactly rocket science."

Both Cornelia and Mary had to smile at Anya's comment. The pink-haired Knight gave herself far less credit then she deserved. Cornelia and the other Knights couldn't even begin to count the times that Anya's quick and simple solutions made their work and lives easier; so far, there hasn't been a problem she hadn't been able to figure out without too much trouble. Of all the Knights of the Round, Anya was the only one who was a commoner by birth. Despite that or perhaps because of it, she was the most perspective among them as well as incredibly wise beyond her years.

Upon noticing her friends eyeing her with curiosity, Anya became uncomfortable and searched for an excuse to leave. After thinking a moment, she suggested going on ahead to Nunnally's chamber to prepare the bath for Mary. As soon as Cornelia and Mary nodded their approval, she left without another word. When they saw the door close behind her, Cornelia turned to her sister-in-law and said "Come Mary, let us hurry and finish dinner so we can get you out of that gown before the bath water grows cold."

**SSSSSS**

Mary let out a deep sigh of relief as she felt Anya loosen up her corset and Cornelia removing the ornaments from her long hair to let down over her left shoulder so as to not impede Anya's task of undoing the laces from the back. Despite what her sister-in-law said, she wasn't sure if should could ever get used to wearing such heavy and restricting garments. But even if she couldn't, Mary knew that it was only temporary until her mission was complete. The one thing that kept her going was the thought of the early promotion that Cornelia promised her.

"There, how's that?" Anya asked as she tugged at the laces at the bottom end of the corset and finally reaching out her arms to Mary's front to open and remove it.

"Much better" Mary answered as she stepped out of the gown as soon as she felt Anya pull the back zipper down. Though she knew that she would have to put on another corset and gown tomorrow, she wanted to relish her temporary physical freedom and enjoy the rest of her evening as much as possible: she had definitely earned it.

After they had finished helping her undress, Cornelia proceeded to put the gown and corset away while Anya helped Mary to the bath when she heard a knock at the door. Temporarily laying the garments on the bed, she went ahead and answered the door and was greeted by the servant boy, Thomas, who had recently returned to his duties after having been sick for the past week.

"Good evening, my lady" he greeted with a bow "Is Her Highness here? I have a letter for her."

"She is bathing but you can leave it here with me and I will be sure she gets it" Cornelia answered as she reached out for the letter in the boy's hands. Thomas obediently handed it over; this is the first time in months that he had delivered the empress's mail without going through Lords Gino and Jeremiah for Cornelia had ordered all letters to be brought to the royal chamber once more so that she could look at them. If the killer was still here, there would be without a doubt, another death threat and Cornelia was not to be disappointed as she found out when she opened the envelope and saw a letter very similar to the one that had unnerved Nunnally enough to get her to agree to go into hiding.

As Cornelia observed the crude letter, she noticed something different; it seemed somewhat less organized then the ones that were sent before. The commander-in-chief could not help but smile as she closed the small piece of paper. This letter was sloppier then the others and that was a good sign for it meant that the killer was becoming impatient which would no doubt increase the likelihood of him making a mistake that would give himself away; at this rate, he was going to slip up sooner or later and Cornelia vowed to be there when he did.

"You are getting careless" she whispered to herself, knowing full well the mysterious assassin could not hear her but still felt the need to voice her thoughts "Soon you'll fall right into our trap; it's only a matter of time."

**A/N: Yayy, another update! Once again, I'd like to thank my fans; your reviews are my inspiration so keep 'em coming. I'm sorry if I can't respond to every review as I'm very busy with work and all, but please know that I do read every one of them!**


	14. 13: The Other Woman

**Chapter 13: The Other Woman**

Nunnally couldn't remember the last time she felt so blissfully at peace and ease. She hadn't felt this happy and carefree since she left Japan to claim her royal birthright as Empress of Britannia three years ago. As the empire's next ruler, Nunnally had to sacrifice pretty much the rest of her cherished adolescence to take on the responsibilities of restoring order to her country and its subjects; even with the help of her most trusted advisors and loyal Knights, it was still no easy task. They had come a long way in the past few years but still had quite a way to go. However, she need not worry about that for the time being.

The days were starting to get cooler as autumn neared its end, making way for winter. When it finally starts to snow, everyone will have to stay indoors longer so the young empress was determined to enjoy the great outdoors as much as possible before then. Back in Britannia, she spent less than a few hours outside each day and there were some days when she couldn't get out at all due to her royal duties with her parliament and subjects. Everyday, ordinary citizens were allowed into the throne room for a brief time to present their problems to Nunnally and seek her council. Their problems ranged from food prices to land taxes right down to neighborly disputes. Most rulers despised this part of their job but Nunnally didn't mind as it gave her a chance to show her people she cared about them as well as practice her diplomacy skills; she spent more then enough time studying law and politics to prepare her for this job.

But now she was on 'vacation' and this was her chance to have time off from her duties and just be an ordinary young woman enjoying life. There was no telling when she would have another chance to get away like this again so Nunnally was determined to make the most of her trip. Suzaku and the others knew it too; they were also glad to have time away from the stiff formalities of the Imperial Palace and once again enjoy the casual lives they used to lead, however brief. Although she wished it could have been under more pleasant circumstances, Milly was glad to have her friends over to catch up as well as talk about old times.

"Would you like another cup of tea, Kallen?" the Ashford heiress asked "I hope you found the biscuits to your liking; I'm so glad I can finally bake a nice batch without burning one!"

Kallen laughed as she handed her small tea cup out for Milly to refill. "Yes I would, thank you. And don't worry about the biscuits, they're perfect" she said with a wink. The two friends were sitting at a table on Milly's front porch, the perfect spot for afternoon tea as it offered a breathtaking view of the huge lake that faced the Ashford mansion. The sunlight gleaming on the water's surface sparkled like diamonds; just looking at it was enough to warm the soul. Sayako and Carline were out in the back garden picking fruits and berries while Suzaku and Nunnally were on a boat in the middle of the lake attempting to catch fish for tonight's dinner. Fishing for some people might seem a mudane task but the empress and her knight were enjoying every moment of it as if it were a fun sport.

After half an hour with no success, Nunnally finally caught her first fish and laughed with joy as she pulled it into the boat. It was a whopper so she couldn't do it without the help of her loyal knight who was only too happy to oblige. It was large enough to feed a couple of people but the young empress still wanted to see if she could catch more as she loved the thrill of her first success. Milly and Kallen could not help but smile as they looked out into the lake at their two friends.

"I haven't seen Nunnally this happy in such a long time" Milly remarked "Suzaku too". Kallen had to agree. Back home, her superior was always so formal and serious with her and the other Knights. He did not smile often, especially after Euphemia's death, and certianly not as often as he had these past few days since their arrival in Japan. Like Nunnally, he too sacrificed a great deal of his youth to take on his responsibilities as the new leader of the Knights of the Round and the empress's chief protector. He was known by many names to the people: the Knight of Zero, the Dark Knight, and sometimes simply Zero. There had been rumors and gossip about his true identity but they guarded it closely and it was known only to Nunnally and her most loyal subjects and friends. It had been a long time since Suzaku was free to wander about outside without a mask; he had done so back home but always had to disguise himself when he went outside the palace without his knight's gear or garments and it wasn't often.

"You might not believe it from the way she's acting now but Nunnally was against coming here until circumstances forced her. She takes her duties very seriously and hesitates to leave her royal post, even for a little while."

"Well, I'm glad she decided to come. You too, Kallen; I've missed you, Suzaku, and Sayako very much. I'm also honored I had the chance to meet Carline as well; she seems very sweet, even if a little shy. I wanted to come visit you more often but my work has kept me so busy and I knew you had your duties too. I do hope that I will be able to come to Britannia again more often now that I've quite journalism. The best time to go would probably be during winter and summer breaks when school is out and the students take their vacations."

At the mention of the empress's younger half-sister, Kallen looked down slightly. She purposly neglected to mention that she had to pursude Suzaku to take Carline along but it was important to her that they did. She wanted to tell her leader the reason but could not, at least not yet.

"Of course. Nunnally and the rest of us would welcome you at court. I'm sure Lloyd would be happy to see you too. From what I saw, he was more then a little disappointed that you broke off your engagement to him, even if he wasn't absolutely devastated" Kallen teased with a wink.

At the mention of her ex-fiancé, Milly blushed. It wasn't because she disliked him that she broke off their engagement; the earl was handsome, witty, and charming as well as fabulously wealthy but Milly felt he was taking things far too fast and wanted to take time off to think about it for she didn't want to go through the hassle (and costs) of a divorce if she later found out they didn't suit.

"I'm sure he would. I've missed him too; he was a very sweet guy. Even though we weren't passionately in love, we did share a modest affection for each other but I believe there has to be more to a marriage then that for it to last and be happy; I hope he understands. Has he found anyone else he likes? After all this time, I thought he would have forgotten about me and moved on. I really did like him but I don't think he felt very strongly about me."

Kallen had to stifle a laugh. If only her friend knew the truth. From what she saw, the earl had more affection for Milly then both of them had originally thought. After their break-up, Lloyd returned to Britannia and buried himself in his work. The man hadn't had a date in three years; there were times he'd go for days without even seeing a woman. She was sure it was going to take a while for him to get over Milly, if ever, but she didn't want to tell her friend that, not just yet.

"I doubt it. He's still unmarried and has the attention of many young women but doesn't seem to be interested in any of them. His assistant moved away but they were never compatible in the first place. Why don't you hit him up the next time you come to Britannia? He lives in the capital, not too far from the palace."

"I supposed it wouldn't hurt to do that. I really would like to see him again; I only hope he's not too upset with me for breaking off our engagement."

"Not at all; I'm sure he'll be very happy to see you. It would do him a lot of good to get out of his lab every now and then."

"Right. But enough about me; how's your love life faring?"

Now it was Kallen's turn to blush. Like Lloyd, she had not yet found anyone she liked and her knightly duties have kept her very busy. And like the earl, there was a certain someone she had not yet gotten over and wasn't sure if she ever would but couldn't let anyone know that, not ever her closest friends.

"I haven't found anyone yet" she said simply "Plus I've been very busy." It wasn't a lie and she hoped it would be enough to satisfy her curious friend for this was a rather uncomfortable topic for her. Fortunately, Milly was able to take a hint this time and shifted the conversation towards the empress and her knight.

"Speaking of love and engagements, has Nunnaly had any luck in finding a potential husband? One that she likes?"

"Not yet. The Royal Council was getting pushy and frustrating her which I can understand and I'm sure you can too. But the good news is that they have ceased, at least for the time being. Right now, finding her stalker and protecting her is first priority."

"I see. How are Cornelia and the other Knights faring? Any luck so far?"

"I've spoken to her this morning; it was almost midnight in Britannia then. She said they have been making progress but have yet to catch the killer or discover his identity. They have suspects but do not want to prosecute anyone without being absolutely certain."

"I see. This kind of thing will take time and patience but I believe they will persevere. I have as much faith in them as you do. At least they can work with the knowledge that Nunnally will be safe for certain with us out here."

"Of course" Kallen tried to sound as confident as possible but in the back of her mind, she wasn't certain of that no matter how much she wanted to be.

**SSSSSS**

Dinner that evening went smoothly with fresh fish being the main course; after that catch, Nunnally and Suzaku had little success in catching any more but that one fish was large enough to feed several people so they didn't need to; they simply made more attempts just for sport. It was the first time in her life that the empress had caught her own food and she couldn't help feeling proud of herself; she also took pride in her cooking as well even though it wasn't quite on par with Sayako's. The past few days have been the happiest she's had in such a long time since her brother passed away. It was so easy to forget her troubles as well as everything else that was wrong with the world when she was out here with her dearest friends, especially Suzaku. Their exchange of smiles and cheery looks did not go unnoticed by the others but they were too polite to say anything. It wasn't too difficult for anyone who knew them to guess that the two's relationship had gone a little past friendship considering all the time they spent alone together. Even Carline, who gave little indication that she had any interest in such matters, noticed though she did her best to make it look like she didn't.

After dinner and the usual clean-up, Nunnally claimed she was more tired than usual from all the rigorous fishing that day and announced that she was going to retire early. As usual, Sayako followed the empress to her room to assist her just as she did back home. Kallen and Milly went to the library to play chess and chat. Suzaku would have liked to join them but something about Carline has been disturbing him as of late. Just when it looked like she was getting comfortable fitting in with their group and becoming more sociable, the young red-headed princess was becoming distant again. Though he knew she disliked being poked and prodded, he couldn't let it alone because he had grown to care for her just as much as his other friends, having gotten to know her somewhat better over the last few days. He needed to speak to her but only when they were alone so he said nothing when he saw her leave, no doubt to explore the mansion as usual.

Which was why Suzaku was grateful Carline did not retire to her room for the night the same time as the others. Later that evening, the Knight searched the mansion for her and became confused and worried when she was nowhere to be found, not even in her room. Knowing that she always carried her cell, he decided to call her and found to his dismay upon reaching into his pocket that his own phone wasn't there; he must have forgotten it in his room. When he went there to check, he almost jumped out of his skin in surprise to find the very person he was looking for in the one place he'd never suspect: his own room. The young red-headed princess sat on his bed, facing the window and gazing at the starry night sky. She turned around upon hearing Suzaku open the door and her expression remained cool and calm as if she were expecting him; it was his room after all, where else would he go to retire for the night?

"Carline! I've been looking all over for you! Would you mind telling me what you're doing in my room?"

The girl merely looked at him with an amused expression on her face, as if she found nothing wrong with waiting in someone's room for him while he was searching the whole mansion for her. Suzaku found this unusual; back at the palace, royals were allowed to go wherever they pleased but even they wouldn't go into another's bedroom without their knowledge whether that person was a servant, knight, or another royal.

Carline held up his cell phone with one hand. "Well, I wanted to give this back to you and searching the entire mansion would have been too much trouble so I thought the best thing to do was wait here because I knew you would return eventually; it is your room after all. You dropped this earlier at dinner; I missed it while cleaning up but found it when I returned to the dining room and kitchen for some water. It's so unlike you to be careless with your things; you didn't become leader of the Knights by being so. But I understand you've been preoccupied, especially since we arrived in here."

"What do you mean? You confuse me, my lady. Even after all these years I've known you, you are still a mystery to me. I was happy to see you more open and at ease these past few days but now you are becoming distant again and I can't understand it."

Carline frowned as she stood up and approached Suzaku. He didn't know why, but he felt a slight urge to back up as the red-headed princess got closer which was unusual considering that he was a Knight and there was practically nothing this frail young woman could do to harm him.

"Have I? I apologize if I've made you uncomfortable, my lord. I didn't mean to; it's just my way. You did say that you would be there for me if I needed you; I hope that offer still stands."

Before he could ask her exactly what she meant, Carline quickly leaned forward and kissed him; her sudden action stunned him for a moment before he took her wrists in his hands and gently but firmly pushed her away from him. Trying to hide his shock, Suzaku looked into Carline's dark green eyes and managed a polite smile even though he knew she could probably tell it was forced; what he really felt the urge to do was stare at her and ask why she did that but that kind of reaction would be far too rude for a princess.

"Carline, you're a very lovely woman…" he began.

"But you don't want me…" she finished, practically reading his mind even though she knew he was far too polite to say it.

"I didn't say that; please don't put words in my mouth." He didn't lie; Carline was beautiful. Her dark beauty did well in drawing her more then a few royal and noble suitors. It often made him wonder if she would have been sought after as much as her half-sister had she been empress instead of Nunnally. Nevertheless, he knew that nothing can happen between them and tried to let her down easy.

Carline smiled as she backed away and raised both her hands in the air. "Hey, it's ok, really. I understand. I just thought that if you enjoyed one sister, you may as well enjoy the other as well. And why not? You deserve it; you're putting your life on the line for us both."

He didn't know why, but Suzaku was starting to feel defensive. "It's not like that!" he protested.

"Is it? With all due respect, my lord, I'm not blind. I know you have some affection for my half-sister and she seems to return your feelings."

There was no denying it; he would look like a fool if he tried. Defeated, he asked:

"Is that wrong?"

Carline shook her head. "No, I can't say it is. But it is unwise. I know it's easy for the both of you to forget your boundaries out here considering the fact that you two have known each other since childhood. But things are different now; Nunnally is an empress and has certain obligations. If you two allow your relationship to go beyond friendship, you will both be hurt in the end. I'm not saying this to be cruel; I'm just trying to be honest, as a good friend should."

"And I appreciate it. But you need not worry about my feelings; my loyalty to Nunnally will never change no matter what. Will that be all?"

The princess curtsied. "Yes, my lord. I will be taking my leave now; forgive me for startling you. You also need not worry; I will tell no one of our conversation. Have a good night, Suzaku, I hope to find you in better spirits tomorrow."

Resisting the urge to sigh with relief, the Knight of Zero bowed to the red-headed princess.

"You too, my lady, sleep well."

After Carline left, Suzaku went to bed and found himself falling into a deep troubled sleep; he hoped she was having a good night because he certainly wasn't.

**A/N: Finally, an update! To my fans, my profound apologies! I've been wanting to continue this for a while but found myself with a bad case of writer's block these past few months! It took me a while to figure out how I wanted to continue this story and now that I got this chapter down, the rest should flow smoothly I hope! I also wrote the scene with Milly and Kallen's discussion about Lloyd because I may write a sequel circling around that couple later; they're my favorite after Lelouch/C.C and Suzaku/Nunnally. **


	15. 14: Unseen Enemies

**Chapter 14: Unseen Enemies**

"Suzaku, is there something on your mind?" Kallen asked as she noticed her leader gazing off in the distance, obviously preoccupied with something. Both were out in the forest hunting while the others were back at the manor. Today, Sayako and Nunnally would go fishing while Milly and Carline took care of some housework. Suzaku had preferred to take his empress hunting instead, knowing that she wanted the experience, but there was something he needed to speak to Kallen about away from the others, particularly a certain red-headed princess his subordinate insisted on bringing along.

The dark knight lowered his bow and turned towards Kallen who followed suit. To avoid drawing the attention of passerbys, the duo had opted to use the old fashion method of hunting with bows and arrows rather than rifles. Both were adept archers, having been members of the archery club when they were students at Ashford Academy. Suzaku knew they did not need to catch any game so they would have dinner tonight; Milly could go into town anytime to get food but he needed an excuse to take Kallen somewhere isolated so he could speak to her in private. He could see on the red-headed Knight's face that she knew hunting was not their only reason for being out in the forest alone.

"To be frank Kallen, yes, there is something I need to discuss with you. Or rather, someone." He need not be more specific then that; she knew exactly who he was talking about and wasn't surprised. It was inevitable that he would bring up the red-headed princess that Kallen herself insist they bring along to assist Nunnally as soon as he found there was more to her request then meets the eye.

"Suzaku, did something happen between you and Carline? From your expression, I'm guessing she had said something to upset you."

"Not upset, but concern. And she did more than say something to me."

"Really? What did she do?"

Though he'd rather not bring up the details of Carline's advances on him, he knew it would have been difficult to explain what she said to disturb him without doing so. And he did ask his subordinate to be honest with him so it was only fair that he did the same. Taking a deep breath, Suzaku told her everything that happened between him and Carline the other night, everything he felt she needed to know at least.

Kallen set herself on a large rock and lowered her bow as she listened to her leader's confession. She listened silently without remark until he finished and saw that he was curious as to why she didn't look or act surprised at his revelation.

"Well, it shouldn't be a surprise" she admitted "I've noticed for some time that Carline was attracted to you even though she herself refused to admit it because she despised numbers. You were the only one she respected because you became leader of the Knights as well as Nunnally's most trusted and personal guard. Plus people cannot help who they become attracted to, even if that person is part of a group of people they despise."

The Knight was taken back at Kallen's statement. Carline was attracted to him? Why did he not ever notice the whole time he lived in the Britannian Imperal Palace? Kallen could not help but smile at her leader and friend's shock at her own revelation. "Oh come now" she said "I was not the only one who noticed. The other Knights and most of the servants closest to us did as well. The only ones who didn't were you and Nunnally since you two were quite fixated on each other."

Suzaku could not help being annoyed at the Stadtfeld girl. "Why did anyone not tell me this?" he demanded "And more importantly, why did you have me bring Carline with us knowing this? It wasn't just so she could assist Nunnally, was it? We could have done just fine without her." Kallen frowned. She knew this was coming, knew it from the moment she made the request to have Carline accompany them. It was almost certain the red-headed princess would try to make a move on Suzaku as soon as they were away from the prying eyes of the other palace residents. She was hoping that she could put off telling him a little longer but supposed it could not be helped if he needed and wanted to know now.

Kallen sighed and took a deep breath. "You're right" she confessed "There was another reason I asked you to take Princess Carline with us but I could not tell you right away; I had to wait until the timing was right."

Suzaku's annoyance turned to confusion. "I don't understand" he said "What other reason could you possibly have for wanting to take her?"

"Suzaku, it's because…" Kallen began but trailed off when she heard a soft rustling noise and saw a slight movement in the trees behind her leader. Eyes widening, Kallen screamed as she leapt off the rock she was sitting on and pushed him to the ground.

"Suzaku, look out!" The Knight of Four was quick, fast enough to put her leader out of danger but not herself as well. Kallen screamed and fell to the ground as an arrow struck her in the left shoulder.

"Kallen!" Suzaku cried as he got up and ran to his friend's side. She had an arrow jutting out of her shoulder; the head had entered through the front and stuck out the back. He tried to help stop the bleeding but Kallen shook her head fiercely. The wound was not fatal and she would live. Right now, there was a more pressing matter at hand.

"I'm all right!" she insisted as she pointed out behind him. "Go after him! I'll catch up with you later as soon as I take care of this! NOW GO!"

The dark knight was taken back at her forcefulness. It was he who should be giving her orders, not the other way around but he knew she was right. There was no time to argue as Nunnally and the others back at the manor could be in danger. He had no doubt that Kallen could take care of herself; she was the Knight of Four after all. Nodding his head in obedience, Suzaku turned and gave chase to their assailant.

After what seemed like an eternity of running, the Knight finally reached the entrance to the small forest that was part of the Ashford Estate and cursed himself when he looked around and realized that the assailant got away. Whoever attacked them earlier was good and quick because Suzaku could not even catch a good glimpse of his or her face, just a blur of the person's dark green and brown clothing which matched the forest surroundings well. That and the fact that he/she moved quietly made him and Kallen fail to notice his/her presence until it was too late. For once, Suzaku was at a total loss as to what to do. Even though he knew Kallen could take care of herself, he worried for her and wanted to go back to the clearing where they were assaulted to see if she was alright but also worried for Nunnally and the others as well and wanted to go to the manor to check up on them. He hated having to choose but he couldn't be in two places at once and time was of the essence.

Fortunately, Kallen saved him the trouble of deciding. Upon hearing footsteps behind him, Suzaku turned and saw the Knight of Four walking in his direction. The arrow in her shoulder was gone; as soon as he had left, she broke off one end and pulled out the remaining piece as quickly as she could. From the expression on her face, he could see that it was painful, though effective. She had torn off a part of her hunting tunic to bandage her wound and Suzaku could see a big spot of blood showing through.

Forgetting the assailant for the moment, the Knight rushed to his friend. "Kallen, are you alright?" he asked. She nodded.

"I'll be fine" she answered. "Right now, we need to get back to the manor to check on Nunnally and the others." Suzaku didn't argue.

"You're right. And we need to have Sayako look at that wound as soon as possible." Fearing that moving might make her injury more painful, Suzaku offered to carry her but Kallen would have none of it and knowing how useless it was to argue with her when her mind was made up, he allowed her to walk back to the manor herself. He would only refuse her wish if he thought her life was in danger which it wasn't.

"Very well" he said. "Let's get back then."

**SSSSSS**

As soon as Milly saw Suzaku and a wounded Kallen approaching the manor, her eyes widened in shock at her friend's bloodied bandaged arm.

"Kallen! Suzaku! What on earth happened? Get inside, quick; we need to treat that as soon as possible!" She had questions but supposed they would have to wait. Treating Kallen was first priority.

Upon hearing Milly's cries, Nunnally and Sayako, who were preparing the boat to go fishing, looked up and saw the two Knights approaching Milly. Suzaku appeared to be fine but Kallen was gripping her shoulder in pain and they noticed the bandage around her arm. It was obvious she had just been attacked.

"Sayako, something's wrong with Kallen; we need to help her!" Nunnally cried. The chief maid agreed and both abandoned the boat and rushed to meet their other friends. The two were in such a hurry that they forgot they had already turned on the propeller and as a result, the boat was slowly moving on its own out into the lake. When Nunnally realized, she smacked her head. "Oops! Sayako, we forgot about the boat!" Everyone turned and saw the tiny fishing boat leaving the port without its intended passengers. What suddenly happened next was even more shocking then Kallen's wounded shoulder:

The boat exploded.

Everyone stared in stunned silence, too shocked to even scream. Carline had heard the commotion earlier and had come to the front porch in time to witness the explosion which caused all color to drain from her face. When he had recovered from his shock, Suzaku quickly shouted orders for everyone to get inside the manor and lock themselves in.

Once they were inside, Milly and Sayako helped Kallen to the living room couch where they can remove her shirt and treat her injury. The old bandage had to be removed and the wound cleansed before it became infected.

"Where are the bandages, Milly?" Suzaku asked as soon as the Kallen was laid on the sofa.

"In the kitchen in the left bottom drawer near the oven" the Ashford heiress answered "I always keep a fresh supply in case of accidents and something like this. The iodine is in the same drawer. Please bring out a new towel and a bowl of clean hot water as well." The Knight wasted no time and called for Carline to assist him in bringing the needed supplies and she obeyed without question.

Nunnally rushed to assist Milly and Sayako in treating Kallen. The Knight allowed her friends to take off her tunic and old bandage so they could see the wound more clearly. The empress was appalled to see a walnut-sized hole beneath her friend's shoulder blade. Luckily, the blood already clotted so she had stopped bleeding. Nunnally was grateful that the wound was not serious and that Kallen would live, though she might have difficulty using that arm for a while.

"Kallen, I would like to know what happened but I understand that you are in pain now. You don't have to say anything; just focus on recovery and you can tell us when you are feeling better." The Knight smiled at her empress. Nunnally's compassion for others was one of the things she loved most about the girl. It was a quality most royals lacked which made her most suitable to sit on the Britannian throne. Even though she was in pain, Kallen didn't mind answering and was about to do so when Suzaku arrived and saved her the trouble.

"We were attacked by an assailant in the forest while we were hunting" he answered "I was actually the target; Kallen was hit when she pushed me to the ground to get me out of the way." The others seemed confused.

"But why you?" Milly asked.

"Because the assailant sees me as the bigger obstacle."

"To what?"

As if in answer, the Knight of Zero turned to his empress and everyone finally understood. Though he was no genius, he was able to catch on quickly when he saw the fishing boat that Sayako and Nunnally was supposed to take out into the lake explode.

"This may sound strange but I think it was fortunate I was attacked when I was" Kallen said "If we had not come back in time and you were not distracted by my wound, both you and Sayako would be dead by now."

"There is no denying it" the chief maid agreed "Though Kallen and I are both competent bodyguards, it is not hard to see why the assailant would see Suzaku as the biggest obstacle to Nunnally."

"I don't understand" Milly said in confusion "What does all this mean?"

"It means that my stalker knows I'm here and that he's after me again." Nunnally answered quietly "Oh I'm so sorry, Milly!" Her friend's expression softened.

"It's ok, Nunnally; there is no need to apologize. Suzaku and the others brought you here to protect you. I may not be a Knight or martial arts master but I will do everything I can to help you as well." She turned to the others who nodded in agreement. "Everyone, I think it best if we all stay inside and lock the doors and windows. I have a good security system and monitoring room so we'll know if there are any intruders in the house. Since Kallen is in no shape to fight, I trust that Suzaku and Sayako will be ok fighting without her?" Upon hearing that, the Knight of Four scowled. She didn't like having these kind of decisions made for her and she'd be damned if she was going to let a little shoulder wound stop her from fulfilling her duties as a Knight.

"Now just a damn minute…" she began but Suzaku cut her off.

"Milly is right, Kallen. You are in no condition to fight. With that wound, it will be difficult for you to handle a weapon and could put you in danger should you have an encounter with the enemy. Sayako and I will do fine without you for the time being so please sit still until you've recover enough strength to move again."

Kallen wanted to argue but knew it was useless with everyone siding with her leader. Letting out a sigh of disappointment, she relented and allowed her hostess and empress to help her up and lead her to her room where she was to spend the rest of the night.

**SSSSSS**

Everyone retired to their rooms early for the evening, most exhausted with the shocking events of the day as well as caring for Kallen. Suzaku himself was about to retire but not before checking each and every door and window to the manor one more time to make sure they were locked, a procedure that took nearly two hours considering the size of Milly's mansion. When he passed by the kitchen, the Knight heard some stirring and went in to check. He was suspicious because the lights were out yet someone was in there and called out to see who as he slowly drew a pistol from the inside one of his pockets.

"Hello, who's there?" Suzaku asked as he opened the door. To his surprise, he found Carline sitting at the dinner table with a bottle of brandy in one hand while pouring its contents into a glass wine in her other. Her movements were a bit sluggish so she was probably drunk but not so much that she didn't notice his presence.

"Suzaku!" she whispered, trying to be as quiet as possible so that the others would not hear. The Knight looked her over as he slowly entered the kitchen and put his pistol away. He was confused; why was she drinking? Was it due to shock over the day's events? It was possible but strange considering the fact that she once took pleasure in violence and destruction and could watch bloody battles on screen without fazing. Maybe it was because this was the first time she had seen something like this up close? Suzaku wasn't sure.

"Carline? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in bed? Everyone else is. There's no reason for you to still be up unless you can't sleep."

Instead of answering his question, the red-headed princess simply stared at him with blood-shot eyes before lowering and shaking her head. It was then, Suzaku noticed she was sobbing.

"Carline? What's wrong?" he asked as he approached and took a seat beside her at the table, his eyebrows furrowing in concern. The princess started rambling and Suzaku had to lean closer to hear what she was saying.

"It's almost as if they're reading my mind, taunting me…" she began "Those were MY feelings, MY thoughts, I HATED her!"

At first, Suzaku didn't understand but like with the forest attack and boat explosion, he was able to catch on quickly, something he got good at since he first learned of the threat to Nunnally's life. Under other circumstances, he would have dismissed Carline's words as drunken ramblings but the current situation demanded that he be more perceptive if he was going to get answers.

"Carline, what are you trying to say? Who's taunting you? Does it have anything to do with Nunnally and those letters? Who wrote them? What about the forest attack and boat incident? Please tell me, I beg you!"

Carline lifted her head and looked at him in silence for a moment as if mentally debating on whether or not to tell him. It was obvious that she had something weighing on her mind, a secret that was mentally tormenting her and if telling him would relieve her of that burden, so be it.

"I'm not sure..." she began "The assailant back home and in the forest. I don't know who they are or even if they're the same person. He doesn't know me either; he doesn't even know who he's working for!"

Understanding slowly dawned on Suzaku. So Carline was involved after all but from what she told him, she really had no control over the situation or the assailant's actions. Still, he had to ask.

"How did it start?" It took all his effort to remain calm and refrain from grabbing the red-headed princess and shaking her to get an answer for that would surly make the situation worse. His patience was rewarded and after a few moments of silence, Carline continued as she wiped her forehead.

"A few months ago, I was having a night out in the capital and asked around. I stumbled upon this guy at a bar…"

Suzaku gently but firmly took her wrists in his hands. "Who was he? I need a name, please!"

"It was Armand!" she quietly blurted "He arranged everything." Now they were going somewhere.

"Is there any way you can call it off? Was it fully paid for?" He was pretty sure he knew the answer already but had to ask to be absolutely certian.

"I can't…" she wailed "I told you he doesn't know me. I paid half and promised the rest once it was done…"

"So he keeps going untill he kills her, right?" Carline nodded and Suzaku let go of her wrists. "I see…" he said as he slowly rose from table and turned his back to her as he prepared to take his leave. He needed to speak with Kallen again as soon as possible. The Knight of Four would definitely be displeased at having her beauty sleep disturbed but he supposed it couldn't be helped.

"Carline, I want you to return to your room and lock the door. Please do not come out again until morning as it can be dangerous. I need to speak with Lady Kallen so I must take my leave of you."

The red-headed princess stared at him in shock as he started to leave, surprised that he wasn't even going to reproach her for her involvement in Nunnally's assassination attempts. "Wait a minute!" she cried "Don't you even want to know why?"

The Knight of Zero turned around to face her once more; the only expression on his face was that of complete comprehension and understanding.

"You already told me" he said simply "She has everything."

**A/N: Yah, another quick update! I'm glad I was able to get this up so soon after the last update; I was stuck with writer's block for the longest time but now the ideas are starting to flow again. I want to thank my fans again for all your support; you are my inspiration so keep those reviews and suggestions coming! ;)**


	16. 15: Hidden Motives Revealed

**Chapter 15: Hidden Motives Revealed**

"Kallen, are you awake?" Suzaku called as he softly rapped on the door to her room, keeping his voice low as to not wake the others if they were asleep already. He hoped she was awake as he still had something he needed to discuss with her and was not disappointed when Kallen slowly opened the door to her room and beckoned him to enter; as soon as he did, she quietly closed the door behind him and went to sit on her desk while Suzaku remained standing.

"You don't seem surprised to see me. Its as if you knew I would come."

She nodded. "I did. I've known you a while now, Suzaku. You're not the kind to put things off and always get down to business right away, especially when it comes to Nunnally."

The dark knight couldn't help but sigh. He hated to disturb her so soon after she had been injured and had the circumstances been different, would have left her alone until she was fully recovered, but this was an urgent matter and could not wait. He knew she would understand but still felt the need to apologize.

"Forgive me, Kallen. I know you are still hurt and I hope you are feeling better now. I wish I could put this off but I can't. There are some things I needed to discuss with you before we were attacked in the forest today; you obviously know something I don't and I need you to tell me."

"About Carline, no doubt."

"Yes."

"You've spoken with her?"

"I have."

"What did she tell you?"

Suzaku took a deep breath as he recounted the conversation he had with Carline in the kitchen just moments ago. The Knight of Four remained silent as she listened to his revelation and took a moment before commenting.

"I see."

"You don't seem surprised."

"No."

"There are other things I'm confused about as well. I know that Carline was geassed to obey Nunnally and I along with the rest of the royal family. Lelouch saw to that and we questioned her as well; she denied any involvement back in Britannia yet I found out she _was_ involved just now. How is that possible? Could Lelouch have missed her somehow when he geassed the royal family?"

Kallen shook her head. "No, he didn't miss her. You were there when he did it, remember? I may not have been present but if there's one thing I know about Lelouch for sure is that he is thorough. Carline was geassed along with the rest of the royal family and has been for the last two and half years."

"Then what happened?"

"Her geass was broken."

"But how?"

Kallen could not help but smile in bitter amusement. She had no doubts about her commander's intelligence and perceptiveness but it seems that he still had a lot to learn when it came to human actions and emotions. It looks like she had a bit of explaining to do so she stood up and took a deep breath before beginning.

"Despite popular belief, the power of the geass is not infallible. It can last a lifetime if undisturbed but can still be broken by strong emotions, desires, and willpower. Nunnally herself has proven that when she broke her father's geass and restored her eyesight out of her strong desire to stop Lelouch from taking the key to the _Damocles."_

"Did Carline have a similar desire?"

"I've been watching her for a while now and have noticed some changes in her behavior patterns over the last few months but never thought she would try something like this until now."

"What desire could she possibly have that was strong enough to break Lelouch's geass over her?"

It took Kallen quite a bit of effort not to let a scowl of annoyance show on her face. After the discussion they had in the forest earlier today she thought it would be obvious to Suzaku but since it wasn't, it looks like she was going to have to explain it to him after all.

"Remember what I told you about Carline being attracted to you? And that you were so smitten with Nunnally that you didn't even notice?"

Suzaku felt his face growing a little hot at Kallen's words; he really wished she could have found another way to put it so that it didn't sound so awkward but supposed it couldn't be helped.

"Yes… are you saying that she was so infatuated with me that her geass was broken?"

"There's a little more to it then that. Yes, her feelings for you was a factor but that alone wasn't enough. Her pent-up feelings of envy and contempt towards Nunnally also contributed. Those two combined with the fact that you never even noticed her _because_ of Nunnally was the trigger that finally broke Carline's geass, enabling her to lie to you about her involvement in Nunnally's assassination attempts."

For a moment, all Suzaku could do was stare at Kallen in shock. When he finally found his voice, it took all of his effort to remain calm.

"Kallen…you knew this all along and you didn't tell me? Why!? I had your word!"

"I _suspected_" she corrected as she took a defensive tone of voice "but I wasn't certain. You know that trying to assassinate a Britannian monarch is a serious offense and that Carline is a member of the royal family. Even as a Knight, I could not make such an accusation against her without proof. I had hoped that by bringing her here, I can watch her and protect Nunnally at the same time if she did try anything and it looks like recent events has confirmed my suspicions."

"I see... I understand now." Suzaku said as he calmed himself, relieved that his subordinate did not act rashly as he had previously thought. "Forgive me for misjudging you, Kallen. You seem to know a lot about the geass; can you tell me why that is?"

Kallen looked down a moment before continuing. "After I became a Knight and moved into the Imperial Palace, I had access to the immense Royal Library. Since I had little else but my duties, I would seek out and study books and documents as well as any other information I could find about the geass. I did want to ensure that the royal family remained loyal to Nunnally and figured that the more I knew about the geass, the better. But I also had another reason for wanting to study it…" she trailed off for a second to see if Suzaku could figure out what she wanted to say next for himself. Luckily, he did as he answered for her.

"Lelouch."

"Yes… when I was with the Black Knights under his command, I never knew exactly what motivated him to rebelled against Britannia. I always thought it ironic how the largest anti-Britannian rebellion in the history of the empire was led by none other then a Britannian prince. Why he would chose to side with the Japanese against Britannia was beyond me. I know now that Nunnally was one of his reasons but not the only one; he obviously had contempt for his father along with grief over his mother's death. Though his battle strategies were always well thought-out, he often took reckless chances as if he _knew _that things would always work out no matter what."

"That was the power of his geass, the power to make people obey him unconditionally."

"Yes. He would not have been so successful otherwise. It wasn't just the geass, it was also his partner, C.C. She obviously had tremendous influence over him and I didn't know why at first until I discovered that she was the one who bestowed the power upon him. I learned it while I was studying the geass; I wanted to know its forms, strengths, weaknesses, and influence over people, not only so I could watch the royal family and protect Nunnally, but also so that I could understand Lelouch as well, his actions, motivations, and way of thinking, especially concerning me…"

Suzaku was silent a moment as he took all this in. He was amazed, really. That Kallen had taken the time to study the geass and knew so much about it was incredible; she probably knew more then the top scholars in the empire for few people knew much about the geass other then what was passed down in legend; in an age of science and technology, the geass was not a popular topic of study despite its incredible powers and influence over people.

"I see… Carline's feelings of jealously towards Nunnally was strong enough to break Lelouch's geass, that much is clear. The geass is powerful and influential but not infallible. I never would have guessed but I'm glad you did."

"Its not like I don't understand how she feels…" Kallen muttered before she could stop herself. She did not mean to speak her thoughts out loud and could have easily bitten off her tongue when she saw Suzaku raise his head to stare at her in shock as he came to another realization.

"My God… you were in love with him, weren't you?"

Kallen looked away as she closed her eyes, refusing to answer, but her refusal in itself was an answer. She really wished she had not let that last statement slip past her lips but knew it was already too late and her own hidden motive was revealed. Though it was not something he would normally do, Suzaku felt the need to press Kallen further and hope she would forgive his prying but his curiosity was too great.

"Did he ever know?" He regretted the question as soon as it left his mouth. What a stupid question, of course he must have known! Or at the very least suspected; there was no way he wouldn't have figured it out. The Knight braced himself for his subordinate's wrath which he knew he deserved for his insensitivity but to his surprise, Kallen did not get angry. Instead, she turned around and leaned over her desk, placing both of her hands on the surface as she closed her eyes and answered:

"I don't know; he never gave any indication that he did. I never told him, I couldn't. I couldn't tell him because I knew… I knew how much he loved _her._"

Suzaku was silent for a moment. Kallen mentioned no name but he knew who she was talking about; he had long suspected that C.C was more to Lelouch then a contractor. Though both she and Kallen had served him loyally, C.C shared a deeper bond with Lelouch due to their contract so it was natural that the two would fall in love. Kallen didn't have that personal connection with him so there was really no way she could compete. The fact that she once thought Lelouch had gone mad with lust for power was not the only reason she turned against him in the end. Kallen felt her eyes burn with tears for the first time in three years when she thought about the beautiful and ageless amber-eyed witch who stole Lelouch's heart from her, who altered the course of his destiny.

And eventually, led him to his death.

Suzaku's expression softened as his heart was filled with pity for the red-headed Knight before him. For once, he saw her not as a seasoned and battle-hardened warrior, but a vulnerable young woman who suffered from a broken heart. Kallen was more then a subordinate to him, she was also a dear friend whom he loved like a sister and he wanted to reach out to her, to offer her comfort. Even so, he still had to chose his words carefully and resist the temptation to say he understood for he had no doubt she would smack him if he did and rightly so; there was no way he could ever understand the pain of unrequited love for both Euphemia and Nunnally returned his feelings tenfold. So he said the only other thing he could think of, hoping that his choice of words were the correct ones.

"I'm sorry" he said quietly "I can only imagine how painful it must have been to love him knowing that his heart belonged to another…"

Kallen made sure to wipe the tears from her face before turning to face her superior and gave a soft bitter laugh; she was a strong and proud woman and would not allow herself to cry in front of a man, especially Suzaku. After their shaky history, he was the last person she would ever expect to offer her comfort. But then again, he was always the sentimental type so it should come as no surprise. "I appreciate your compassion, my lord, but it is not necessary. Its all in the past and does not matter now."

"So you say. But you don't sound convinced of that. Its all right, Kallen, you've nothing to be ashamed of; you may be a Knight but you're also human and still have the right to your feelings."

Kallen shook her head. "No… my 'feelings' were a liability to both of us, always complicating matters; it would have been better if I felt nothing for Lelouch for he certainly never felt anything for me."

Suzaku knew that wasn't true for even though she tried to sound confident, her voice wavered as though she was trying to convince herself rather then him. And knowing his best friend, Suzaku was sure that Lelouch must have at least acknowledged Kallen's feelings for him even if he could not return them. He might not have loved her but he did care for her; after all, he arrange for her freedom before his death.

"Kallen…you know that's not true. While I may not agree with his methods, I do believe that his heart was in the right place. If there is one thing about him I know for certain is that he would never betray his friends. Whatever he might have said or done to make you think otherwise was likely for your own good. He knew he was going to die so he thought it would be much easier for you to take if you despised him. I do not presume to understand your feelings, but I do respect them. You're a beautiful woman, Kallen, and you're only twenty-one. You still have your whole life ahead of you and I know there are plenty of men who would be honored to have you in their life. I'm not telling you to forget Lelouch, but please don't dwell on him either. I'm sure he would agree with me and want you to go on with your life."

Suzaku knew he wasn't anywhere near as good with words as his best friend but he hoped that what he said was of some comfort to his subordinate because he meant every word with all his heart. The red-headed Knight was no less beautiful then C.C. No, Kallen wasn't hard on the eyes at all with her fiery red hair, blue-green eyes, and alabaster skin. Her face was delicate, heart-shaped, and very lovely; when not clad in armor and weapons, she was every bit as graceful and feminine as any well-bred lady. Being half Britannian and half Japanese, she seemed to have inherited the best of both worlds as was apparent in her lovely exotic features.

Suzaku held his breath for a moment before Kallen finally relaxed. He was relieved to find that his words did make her feel somewhat better. "Thank you, Suzaku. Your words mean a lot to me. However, we do have more pressing issues at the moment. Now that we are certain that Carline is involved, what do you suggest we do?"

"For now, nothing. Yes, Carline was involved but like I said, she has no control of the situation now. She's also an emotional wreck so I'm sure she'll be no danger to anyone. She's harmless but we will still have to deal with her when we get back to Britannia."

"Knowing Nunnally, she would probably pardon Carline but I still suggest sending her away at the very least. That is, until we are sure she will not try to harm the empress again."

"I agree. I don't think she will but you're right. However, Carline is not the one we need to worry about now; the killer is still out there and we need to stop him before he does any more harm."

"I doubt we will have to search for him; if he's that determined to kill Nunnally, he will likely try to break into the house. We have to be prepared for that."

"I know. Sayako will be sleeping in Nunnally's room tonight. She promised to call me at the first sign of trouble. I know you still want to fight but promise me that you will look out for yourself first. It will be a while before you can use that arm freely."

Kallen smirked. "Don't worry, Suzaku; I still have my other arm and that's more then enough to deal with this bastard."

The Knight could not help but smile, glad to see that his friend was in good spirits again. "Right. Well, its late and I must take my leave of you. Sleep well, my lady."

"You too, my lord. Good night."

**A/N: Ok, finally got another chapter down. This one took me a while as I wanted to bring the hidden motives to the surface while keeping everyone IC and I hope that everyone finds my explanations reasonable and logical. If anything seems amiss to you, let me know and I will try to fix it!**


	17. 16: Impending Danger

**Chapter 16: Impending Danger**

_Suzaku found himself waking to the distant sounds of subdued sobbing, as if a number of people were weeping somewhere. Sitting up, he found himself back in his room at the Britannian Imperial Palace and there seemed to be a death-like stillness around him which he found strange because the palace was normally very lively and bustling with activity, especially around midday. Come to think of it, why was he back at the palace in bed during the middle of the day? What was going on around here?_

_The Knight of Zero sat up and found himself in his formal white and navy knight's uniform, also unusual because he did not normally sleep in his knight's gear or clothing, not to mention his knee-high black boots. Before he knew it, Suzaku found himself heading downstairs towards the weeping sounds, wandering from room to room but finding no one in sight until he reached the palace chapel where he stumbled onto a somewhat familiar scene:_

_Lelouch's funeral._

_Or so he thought. It seemed the same yet different at the same time. As he remembered it, Lelouch's funeral service was held in the middle of the night, not the day, and there were mourners in the crowd that he did not recognize alongside the ones he did. There were also people among the mourners that he knew were certainly not present during the last rites of the previous Emperor of Britannia. Looking around, Suzaku saw Euphemia, Clovis, Rolo, and other people he knew were deceased long before Lelouch, even his late father, the last prime minster of Japan. The dark knight was shocked and alarmed; what could be the meaning of all this?_

_Looking ahead, Suzaku thought he saw a catafalque on which rested an ivory coffin. Around it, were stationed imperial soldiers acting as guards and there was a throng of people, gazing mournfully upon the corpse which he had difficulty seeing due to the surrounding crowd. Wanting to see for himself, the dark knight made his way through the crowd until he was within viewing distance of the coffin but before he could get a good look at the corpse, he felt someone grab his arm. Turning, he saw that it was none other than Lelouch himself holding onto his arm, clad in the dark purple suit and cape from his days as the previous Zero, and looking just the way Suzaku remembered him._

_But if Lelouch was standing before him, then who…?_

_Staring at his best friend in shock, he demanded "What's going here? Whose funeral service is this?"_

_Lelouch smiled sadly as he answered: "The Britannian Monarch who was killed by an assassin." _

"_What? I don't understand; let go of me, Lelouch! I must see for myself!"_

"_No, please don't look!" his friend begged as he tightened his grip on Suzaku in an attempt to pull him away but the dark knight was not to be swayed. He tore himself free from Lelouch's grasp and forced himself to look ahead, his face draining of all color as he did so:_

_It was Nunnally lying in the coffin..._

**SSSSSS**

Suzaku gasped as he awoke in a cold sweat. Looking around, he found himself in his room at Milly's summer home. As he clutched his chest and calmed his ragged breathing, he quickly recalled the events of the past few weeks and remembered that he and the others had brought Nunnally here to protect her, and from what he had just experienced, it wasn't only the empress who was having bad dreams. Suzaku's mother had once told him that dreams could be memories of a past life or a prophecy of what was to come. Though he loved his late mother dearly, he sincerely hoped she was wrong about the latter. Why he would dream such a thing, he had no idea unless it was simply his worst fears manifesting itself in his dreams and nothing more.

Upon glancing at the clock on his night table, Suzaku saw that it was about seven in the morning, about the same time he normally awoke back home. Although he knew he could sleep in if he wished, Suzaku thought it would be best to get up anyway so that he can help Milly and Sayako prepare breakfast. And besides, he was so shaken by his disturbing dream that he doubt he would be able to fall asleep again even if he tried. Getting up, the Knight took a quick shower and got dressed. As he combed his hair in front of the mirror on his door, he tried to forget the dream he just had without success until he heard a shrill scream pierce the morning air.

Dropping the comb, Suzaku immediately rushed out of his room and downstairs where he found a petrified Milly staring at something on her front porch, her hands over her mouth in shock.

"Milly, what's wrong? Is everything all right?" he asked gently.

Instead of answering, the Ashford heiress moved aside, allowing Suzaku to see what had startled her so:

It was the mutilated corpse of some kind of animal, looking very similar to the drawings on the letters sent to Nunnally months ago. Suzaku found himself growing pale; as if his dream wasn't disturbing enough, someone just had to drop off a dead animal on the front porch of the house and he knew it wasn't just some passerby's idea of a joke.

"What could this mean?" Milly gasped as she looked at her friend, hoping the dark knight could provide an answer.

"It's a warning… or a taunt from the killer would be my guess; typical of a stalker, trying to torment his victim with fear before moving in for the kill, the bastard. But if he thinks he can get pass me that easily, he's sorely mistaken." Suzaku spat.

Before Milly could reply, they heard the sound of footsteps approaching. Turning, they saw Kallen rushing down the stairs, accompanied by Sayako.

"What's going on here?" the Knight of Four demanded.

"It looks like the killer is playing with us." Milly answered as she allowed Kallen a glimpse of the animal corpse on the porch. From what Kallen could see, it appeared to be a rabbit but the body was mutilated so badly, it was difficult to tell for sure.

"I see…he's close. This means we have to remain vigilant in our guard. I don't want Nunnally to worry anymore then she already has so we must dispose of the corpse before she sees it."

"Right" Milly agreed "Let me take care of it while the rest of you prepare breakfast."

Kallen frowned as her brow furrowed in concern for her friend whose civilian eyes were not accustomed to such sights.

"Are you sure you're alright with that? If it's too much for you, I can do it; I know you're not used to handling dead bodies."

Milly shook her head fiercely. "No, it's ok, really." She insisted. "I'm only concerned about Nunnally seeing it because I just know she would freak out. Sorry for screaming like that and scaring you all. Did Nunnally hear?"

"Fortunately, no" Sayako answered. "She's sleeping heavily now due to being up late last night. I know the anxiety is keeping her up but it cannot be helped. Carline too. This simply means that all of us must stay inside today and not let Nunnally out of our sights."

"It also means we have to catch this guy ourselves since there's nobody else out here to help us. I was hoping we could catch him alive and bring him back to Britannia for trial but now I see that nothing short of killing him will stop him from trying to get Nunnally." Kallen added grimly.

Milly and Sayako frowned as they looked to Suzaku. As the one in charge of the group and situation, it was he who had the final say in this matter. The Knight nodded his agreement. "Kallen and I have already discussed this. We had originally planned to seek the killer out but now that we've seen how determined he is to kill Nunnally, we won't have to; it's certain that he will attempt to break into the house eventually. He may even try tonight which is why we have to be prepared."

"I see…" Milly said quietly as she looked down. "I understand. Do what you think is best, Suzaku; I'll assist you in any way I can."

"I have a plan that I know will work. All I need is for everyone to follow my instructions exactly and there should be no trouble."

"Yes, of course."

**SSSSSS**

Nunnally closed her eyes and sighed as she plunged into the warm, bubbly water of her bathtub. It was early evening and there was not much else for her to do, having been confined to the house all day while Suzaku and the others made preparations for a break-in which could happen at any moment. Normally, bathing was one of her favorite evening past times for it gave her the chance to relax and clear her mind of her daily duties as empress but tonight she found no enjoyment in it for unknown to her friends, Nunnally had been eavesdropping on their conversation early that morning and had heard everything about the animal corpse and the killer planning to break into the house. Milly's screaming had woken her but Sayako was in such a rush to get downstairs that she didn't even notice and even though the empress knew eavesdropping was bad manners, her curiosity got the best of her and she quietly followed the chief maid and hid behind a wall at the bottom of the stairs.

Although she never saw the mutilated corpse herself, the way Milly reacted to it told her everything she needed to know. As she allowed herself to sink into the water up to her chin, Nunnally tried her hardest to fight back the tears that were threatening to spill from her eyes, tears of fear, frustration, anxiety, as well as feelings of helplessness and powerlessness to do anything while her dearest friends laid their lives on the line to protect her. She never wanted any of this, never wanted the crown of Britannia and the burden that came with it, but accepted it out of her late brother's wishes and her own desire to use her power to change the world for the better in his place. When she took the throne, Nunnally knew the risks but never did she imagine that her sanity and peace of mind could also be a price to pay alongside her personal freedom.

As a result of being followed so relentlessly, she was afraid to leave the house, afraid to put anything in her mouth, or even sleep knowing that he could be near, just waiting for the perfect moment to strike. What killed Nunnally was that she knew neither his name nor face yet he knew her every move and had no qualms about hurting others if necessary to get to her; her friends could protect her body, but not her mind and she knew the torment would only end with the killer's own life.

As the empress tried to clear those bothersome thoughts from her mind, she heard Sayako calling from the other side of the bathroom door.

"Nunnally, is everything alright? You've been in there quite a while…"

"I'm fine! Sorry for making you worry, I'll be right out in a minute!" Nunnally answered as she shot up from her sitting position and pulled on the switch to drain the water out of the tub. While being preoccupied by her thoughts, she failed to notice that she's been in the bath twice as long as usual and that her skin was starting to get pruny. While the water drained, Nunnally quickly turned on the shower and rinsed herself off before getting out and wrapping herself in a towel. After squeezing the water out of her hair, she opened the door and stepped out into her room where Sayako was waiting to help her into her nightgown.

As Nunnally allowed her friend to help her dress, she tried not to let her discomfort show on her face but Sayako was not easily fooled; she knew her empress far too well for that.

"Nunnally, something is bothering you, I can tell. Did you happen to hear what the others and I have discussed this morning by any chance?"

The empress felt her heart sink as she lowered her head in apology even though she knew she had no reason to explain herself to a servant. But Sayako was not merely a servant to her; she was a protector and dear friend who merely worried for her safety and well-being.

"I'm sorry, Sayako, I couldn't help myself" she apologized "Please forgive me. It just kills me to know that I'm powerless to do anything while all of you are putting your lives on the line to protect me, especially Suzaku; he's suffered so much already…"

Sayako took Nunnally in her arms and stroked her soft honey-colored hair in a gesture of comfort. "It's alright, Nunnally, really. Don't feel bad for Suzaku or any of us. Protecting you and the empire is his destiny as well as ours. We're not just doing this out of duty because you're our empress, we're also doing this out of love, because you're our friend."

"Love?"

"Yes… we all love you, Nunnally, especially Suzaku. I can see that he loves you very much, and not just as a little sister, at least not anymore. "

Nunnally felt her face growing hot at her friend's revelation. Were the feelings between her Knight and herself that obvious to everyone around them?

"I…I love him too!" she confessed "that's why I so desperately wished there was something I can do to help him!"

Her friend smiled. "There is. You can help him by being supportive of his decisions and complying with his wishes for you to stay with me while he and Kallen take care of the killer. They didn't become Knights for nothing; you can trust them."

Nunnally smiled, her friend's words made her feel a lot better as she allowed Sayako to help her into her white cotton nightgown. Milly's and Carline's rooms were nearby and they could be called for if needed but Sayako would be sleeping in Nunnally's room tonight as she had the night before and will continue to do so until the killer was caught. Since it was still early, they decided to pass the time watching television until they were ready for bed.

"What would you like to see tonight, Nunnally?" the chief maid asked as she picked up the remote.

"It doesn't matter. I'll let you pick" the empress answered with a wink. Sayako smiled as she chose some random nature show for them to watch and made a gesture for Nunnally to sit down on the bed so that she could comb her hair. As soon as she did so, the chief maid sat on her knees behind her and reached for a lovely tortoise shell comb on the night table next to the bed and started combing the empress's long mane of honey-colored tresses.

As Nunnally relaxed and gave herself up to her friend's care, she thought about what Sayako had told her. She might have been uncertain about her chief protector's feelings before but now she no longer had any more doubts, nor did she have any doubts about her own feelings; she didn't kiss him back in the forest just out of curiosity or on a whim. It was something she's been wanting ever since she saw his face for the first time but hesitated because she wasn't sure if he felt the same way. If any good has come of this ordeal was that it brought them closer than they've ever been before and for that she was grateful.

Reaching behind, Nunnally took Sayako's hand in her own and held it for a moment before saying "Thank you, Sayako. For everything."

Before her friend could answer, the room suddenly became dark with only the moonlight shining through the window and the television died as well.

"What's wrong?" Nunnally gasped.

"I'm not sure; let me call Suzaku." Sayako answered as she took out her cell phone and called up her leader, grateful that he did not take long in answering.

"Sayako?"

"Yes…what just happened, Suzaku?" she asked calmly.

"The power has been partially cut off; I'm sure you know what that means…"

"I'm afraid so. What do you want me to do?"

"I want you to lock the door and windows and stay in the room with Nunnally. Please do not come out for any reason; leave this to me and Kallen, understand?"

"Yes, you can count on me. What about Milly and Carline?"

"Milly is screening the house from the monitoring room. We spent the whole day setting up surveillance cameras all over the manor so no matter where he goes, we'll find him. I've also ordered Carline to assist Milly; you just worry about doing your part."

"Yes, understood. Good luck to the both of you."

"Thank you."

Sayako put the phone down as she looked into her empress's questioning eyes. Though she preferred not to say, she knew it was inevitable.

"He's come for me, hasn't he?"

"Yes."

**A/N: Yah, another chappie finally up! Sorry for the delay but I had to write a couple of drafts before finding the best one to continue this story. To my fans, thank you so much for your support and reviews so far! When I first started this fic, I had no idea that it would become such an interesting story with lots of readers eager to see what happens next! I will try my hardest not to disappoint so please keep those reviews coming! **


	18. 17: Tragedy Strikes

**Chapter 17: Tragedy Strikes**

"Suzaku, Kallen, can you hear me?" Milly asked as she turned up the volume on the control panel of her monitoring room where she and Carline was screening the manor. With over fifty screens on the wall, they would be able to guide and assist the two Knights to the whereabouts of the mysterious assassin who was bent on killing the empress. For the time being, the monitoring room was the only room in the entire manor with any power; Suzaku knew that the first thing the killer would do before breaking into the house was cut off the power source so he and Kallen made sure to reroute the power of the monitoring room to a separate and hidden power source for it would have been impossible to track him without it due to the vast size of the Ashford mansion.

"Yes, Milly, I can hear you loud and clear" the Knight answered through the small communication device attached to the side of his head. Before he and Kallen left the Ashford heiress in search of the killer, Milly gave both of them a small wireless device with a single earphone and small mic attached so they could hear and speak to each other no matter where in the manor they were. Because the power was cut off, it was difficult to see their surroundings with only the moonlight illuminating the rooms so they would be heavily dependent on Milly to guide them; the good thing was that both Knights memorized the layout of the entire manor so that was all they needed; they can do without the lights if necessary.

"I hear you too, Milly" Kallen said. "it's a little difficult to see so we're going to be needing you to guide us to the killer. Are you able to see him from where you are? I know it might be hard with only the moonlight lighting the rooms."

"Yes, I can see him. The rooms may be only partly illuminated but I can still see some stirring in the main foyer. I'm certain that the killer will be heading upstairs where the rooms are to search for Nunnally. It is unlikely that he or she knows exactly which room the empress is in so that will definitely buy you more time and give you an edge. Your best chance is to either corner or catch him or her in a pincer attack since there are two of you."

As Suzaku and Kallen stalked down the hallway of the first floor, the dark knight could not help but feel nervous. As a former soldier of the Britannian army and knightmare pilot he was unused to this kind of battle; up until now, his previous fighting experience has been on an open battlefield with his enemies in plain sight so he was much more used to direct combat. His discomfort was not because of fear of the killer but his inexperience with fighting in the shadows so to speak. He was fortunate to have Kallen as an ally in this fight for as a former Black Knight, she had much more experience with guerrilla fighting then he did.

"Suzaku, are you alright? You seem nervous." the dark knight was snapped out of his thoughts when he saw his subordinate look at him with concern on her face. While lost in thought, he had failed to notice he was sweating.

"I'm alright" he answered "Please don't worry about me. We need to take care of this bastard as soon as possible. Forget about trying to capture him alive for trial; he cannot be reasoned with so we must kill him once we confront him- that's an order."

Kallen nodded. "Understood, my thoughts exactly. I know you may not have much experience with this type of combat so I will try my best to guide you as well if you don't mind following my lead just this once."

"No, I think that's a good idea, thank you. I'm grateful that your experience as a former Black Knight will be very useful here but are you sure you will be alright handling your gun with your other arm? I know your dominate arm was the one that was injured."

Kallen smiled. "Its alright" she insisted. "Yes, its true my weaker arm has become my only weapon but I will manage; when you've been a guerrilla fighter as long as I have, you learn to improvise. And besides, its not like I'm wielding a heavy broadsword so there should be no trouble."

"I see…good. Well then, lets go and get this over with." And without another word, the two Knights proceeded to search for the mysterious assassin in a dangerous game of cat and mouse. They still weren't sure if it was a man or a woman since Milly could not see his face and form due to the dark cloak he was wearing but Suzaku had the feeling that killer was a man since the person who made the threatening phone call to Nunnally back in Britannia had been a male. That is, assuming that they were the same person; there was no way to be certain until they had a direct confrontation with him.

With Milly's guidance, Suzaku and Kallen followed the killer from room to room, trying to keep as quiet as possible to avoid being detected. Since this was his first time in the manor, the Knights knew that he was trying to find the stairs leading to the second and third floors where the bedrooms were- at least the killer was smart enough to know that Nunnally was likely to be hiding in one of the guest rooms. Their plan was to follow him until he came to a closed space before going in for a direct confrontation and attack. The Ashford summer home was three stories and each had a hall with a dead end as well as ten rooms on each floor. To make things easier, they had purposely locked each room to slow the killer down; if he attempted a break in, Suzaku and Kallen would attack. Since Nunnally and Sayako was on the last room on the third floor, they would have to stop the killer before he got that far.

So far, everything seems to be going to plan…

**SSSSSS**

"How are things on your end, Carline?" Milly asked as she observed the screen where she could see the assassin moving. Since he did not know the layout of the mansion, she had no doubt it may take him a while before he can find the stairs leading up to the second and third floors. The monitoring room was on the third floor just a few rooms down from the one Nunnally and Sayako was hiding in and while Milly hoped that Suzaku and Kallen would be able to stop the killer before he reached the third floor, she still advised them to avoid a confrontation with him in a large open space if possible. It was not because she was afraid of having her home's furnishings damaged, that was not of import, it was because the furniture and other household objects can prolong a gun battle and put both Knights at greater risk, especially Kallen with her injured arm; if Suzaku ended up having to protect her, stopping the killer would be even more difficult.

"I don't see anything unusual about any of the other rooms" Carline answered "Not that I'm complaining, but is it really necessary to check them all since you already have the assassin in your sights?"

Milly nodded. "I'm afraid so. We have no way of knowing if the killer is alone or if he has help. That's why I need you to keep checking the other screens so that we'll know if there are any other intruders in the house besides the one I'm watching now."

"Do you think it's a man or woman?"

"I'm not sure; the rooms are pretty dark and the killer is well covered so I can't tell. What I do know is that he or she is armed and very dangerous so we must follow Suzaku's instructions to stay in this room and keep the door locked."

Carline was silent for a moment as she watched the other screens. So far, she hasn't seen any signs of a second intruder; she was pretty sure the mysterious assassin was alone but still had no idea who he could be. Although she knew that Suzaku did not blame her for causing this predicament in the first place, Carline could not help but feel guilty. If she knew the killer's identity, she would have called off the hit but since she didn't, the only thing she could do was try her best to assist Suzaku and the others in stopping him. Even though she knew that the dark knight could not returned her feelings, she still cared for him and did not want to see him harmed. She didn't even want to see Nunnally harmed; her hiring of an assassin to kill her half-sister was an impulsive act of jealousy that she deeply regretted, even more so since she has no control over the killer's actions.

Or did she?

As Carline turned to look at Milly, she found the Ashford heiress with her eyes glued to the screens where the killer was moving from one room to the next and guiding the two Knights over the mic on the control panel. She was so preoccupied that she never noticed the red-headed princess unlocking the door and slipping out of the room until a few minutes later when she turned to ask Carline again if she saw any suspicious activities in the other rooms. When Milly realized that Carline was missing, she was horrified as a frightening thought struck her:

_No! She couldn't have!_

But she did. Turning back to the screens on the wall, Milly could see Carline making her way down the halls and stairs to the second floor where the killer was approaching…

**SSSSSS**

"Suzaku, Kallen, we've got a problem!" Milly cried over the telecom.

"What is it?" Suzaku asked, wondering what had shaken his friend so much.

"Its Carline. She snuck out of the room while I wasn't looking and is heading downstairs. If she's planning what I think she is, her life will be in danger. I know you want to get the killer in a closed space but this changes everything; you're going to have to move faster and get to him before Carline does."

"Damn!" Kallen swore. She had never expected something like this of the red-headed princess. Like Milly, Kallen quickly came to the conclusion that Carline was going to try to reason with the killer and call off the hit, something that was highly unlikely to happen since he did not know her as the one who hired him. "Suzaku, hurry up, Carline doesn't know what she's doing; we have to stop her before its too late!"

The dark knight didn't need any further goading. Both he and Kallen broke into a run and ran up the stairs to the second floor just in time to see the cloaked figure of the mysterious assassin confronted by a determined Carline barring his way to the third floor.

"Wait!" She cried. "There's been a mistake! There's no need for you to-"

Kallen's eyes widened as she saw the cloaked figure draw a gun from the folds of his cloak. "Carline, look out!" she screamed.

But it was too late. Before either Knight could stop him, the killer quickly took aim and shot the red-headed princess in the chest and knocking her to the floor. Screaming, Kallen drew her own gun and shot the cloaked figure in the back but unfortunately, it was not enough to kill him; since she was forced to use her weaker arm, her aim was not as accurate.

Wounded, the assassin dropped his gun and quickly turned around and ran past the Knights, down the stairs.

"Suzaku, go after him! I'll take care of Carline!"

Suzaku nodded and turned to give chase to the assassin, following him down the stairs back to the first floor as he drew his own gun and attempted to shoot him down; he could not help but be amazed at how fast the guy could move, even after being wounded. Unfortunately, every one of his shots missed due to the darkness of the rooms as well as the furniture and household objects in his way. Still, Suzaku refused to give up and continued to chase the assassin until he jumped out of a window in the main foyer and disappeared into the night. As the Knight prepared to go through the window himself and continue the chase, he heard his cell phone ring. Taking it out of his pocket, he saw that it was Gino attempting to contact him. Flipping the top open, Suzaku raised the phone to his ear and answered.

"Yes, Gino?"

"Suzaku, is everything alright over there? I'm calling to tell you we finally got him! Its like you said, he was an insider but what surprised us most is that he was one of the servants. Man, you should see the pictures in his room; he's obsessed with her…"

Suzaku's eyes widened at this revelation. "What? How can that be?" If the others had already captured the culprit who tried to assassinate Nunnally back in Britannia, then who was it he was chasing? Could it be that she had more then one stalker all this time?

"What do you mean? Is something wrong, Suzaku?"

"Oh sorry, Gino, it's a bit complicated but I'll explain it to you when we get back. Thank you and good job; I must go now but I'll call you later. Bye for now."

Before the Knight of Two could press the issue further, Suzaku hung up. For the second time, the mysterious assassin had gotten away from him and it irritated him to no end. However, there was a more pressing issue at hand and Suzaku left the main foyer and headed back upstairs to the second floor where he found Kallen and Milly sitting on their knees next to Carline, both of their clothes stained with blood from trying to stop the bleeding in the princess's chest. From the expression on their faces, he knew it could not be good.

"How is she?"

Milly wiped a tear from her eye as she shook her head. "I'm sorry, but there was nothing we could do; the bullet pierced her heart and killed her instantly."

Kallen was silent as she held back her own tears. She could not help but feel responsible for Carline's death; the girl would still be alive if they had not brought her here in the first place. She had so wished there was another way to confirm her suspicions without putting the princess in needless danger but now it was too late.

The Ashford heiress seemed to have read her mind as she gently placed a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Don't feel bad, Kallen; it wasn't your fault. Carline did this of her own free will. In a way, she has redeemed herself."

"It wasn't worth her life!"

"I know but it was her choice. There is nothing we can do for her now except clean her up and prepare her for burial."

Kallen wanted to argue but knew her friend was right so resigned herself in agreement.

"All right."

Turning to Suzaku, she said "Please leave this to me and Milly and go check up on Nunnally and Sayako."

Although he was just as saddened over Carline's death, he knew Kallen was right and with a quick bow, left his friends to care for the princess's body as he went upstairs to the third floor to check on the empress and chief maid.

**SSSSSS**

Nunnally could not help but let out a cry of terror as she heard yelling and several gunshots coming from the floor below them. She and Sayako were huddled in a corner of their dark room, holding each other tightly as Sayako stroked her hair and attempted to keep her as calm as possible. In addition to locking the door and windows as Suzaku had ordered, she also bolted the door with a small sofa in case the killer managed to reach their room.

After a few moments of gunfire, the house fell dead silent. Curious, Sayako wanted to go outside and look for she was certain that the silence meant that Suzaku and Kallen had subdued the assassin since both of them together was more then a match for him. But she could not leave her empress's side so she decided to try calling Suzaku to see if it was safe to go back out. Fortunately, the Knight saved her the trouble as she heard him knocking and calling from the other side of the door.

"Nunnally? Sayako? Its Suzaku! Is everything all right in there? You can come out now, its safe."

Sighing in relief, the two women moved the sofa away from the door and opened it to see a frowning Knight. They were relieved to see him unharmed but could not help but notice the troubled look on his face.

"Suzaku, what's wrong? What happened? Are you ok?"

Suzaku was silent for a moment before answering "I am fine. But Carline…"

**SSSSSS**

"I see… so that's what happened…" Sayako said quietly as she leaned over the bed and gently placed her hand on Carline's face. While Suzaku went to check up on Sayako and Nunnally, Kallen and Milly had moved Carline's body to a guest room where they changed her out of her bloodstained clothes and into one of her country dresses as well as cleaning the blood off her chest and dressing the wound.

"Yes, she tried to stop the killer; she thought she could reason with him but he didn't know that she was the one who hired him and saw her as another obstacle to Nunnally so he killed her. If I had known she would try something like that, I would have asked Milly to watch her more closely." Suzaku said grimly. He was alone with Sayako now; both Kallen and Milly had taken to the baths to clean the blood off their own bodies.

"Its alright, Suzaku, its not your fault. There was no way you could have known, no way any of us could have known. And don't feel bad that you couldn't get the killer; with his wound, I highly doubt he'll be back tonight so Nunnally will be safe for the time being."

"Speaking of Nunnally, where is she?"

"She's in her room, apparently still in shock over Carline's death. You should go to her since you know how to make her feel better then any of us. Besides, I'm pretty sure she must be tired of being around me all night."

Suzaku let out a small laugh. "Yeah, maybe you're right. I'll go see her now. Will you still be sleeping in her room tonight after I leave?"

"Yes, of course."

"I see. Have a good night then, my lady."

"You too, my lord. Good night."

**SSSSSS**

"Nunnally, can I come in? Its Suzaku."

The empress looked up from her sitting position on her bed and got off to answer the door. As soon as she opened it and saw her knight, she threw her arms around him, sobbing onto his shoulder.

Suzaku remained silent as he returned her embrace. It was no surprise that Nunnally would take Carline's death harder then any of them, she was her half-sister after all.

"I'm so sorry, Nunnally. We tried but there was nothing we can do for her" he said sadly.

"I know" the empress said softly. "I'm not blaming any of you. Its just that I'm so scared, not just for me but for all of you. Now that the killer knows I'm here, he will be back, maybe not tonight but sooner or later. This manor is so isolated that no one will ever know if he picked us off one by one. I cannot stay here any longer for as long as I do, you are all in danger."

As much as he hated to admit it, Suzaku had to agree. They had brought her here to hide her from the killer in the first place but now that he knew where she was, it was pointless. Even though he, Kallen, and Sayako together was more then a match for him, it was apparent that he wasn't going to give up until Nunnally was dead or he himself was killed.

"I understand" Suzaku said softly "What is it you want to do?"

Lifting her face from his shoulder and looking into his eyes, she answered:

"There is only one thing you can do: you must take me back, back to Britannia."

**A/N: Ok, another chapter down. I hope I don't disappoint with this latest installment. I already had a brilliant idea for the next chapter but had to get this one out of the way before I can write it. I hope it was suspenseful enough for all you thriller fans! :D**


	19. 18: No Right

**Chapter 18: No Right**

"And that concludes our report of activities in your absence, my lord." Jeremiah finished as he handed Suzaku an electronic journal of events he recorded while his leader was away in Japan. It had been only a day or so after Nunnally's party returned but circumstances allowed no time for any breaks or stalling so the morning after their return, Suzaku summoned Cornelia and the rest of the Knights to their meeting room in order to discuss their findings over the past few weeks as well as next course of action. Before leaving, Suzaku instructed the Knights staying behind to keep records of any and all actions taken in search of the mysterious assassin back at the royal palace as well as any suspicious or unusual activities among the palace guards and staff. Included in the report was the tracking and capture of the servant who had been sending the threatening letters to Nunnally over the past half year.

"It was just as I predicted" Cornelia said "Soon after you and the others left, the killer's letters became more sloppy and unorganized. I knew he was getting impatient and sooner or later would make a mistake to expose himself. Turns out I was right, Gino and Jeremiah were able to tackle and capture him when he tried to attack Mary as she was taking a walk in the imperial gardens, something he may not have tried months ago due to the risks."

"Speaking of which, how is Mary?" Anya asked.

"She's fine. My sister-in-law did her duty well and we were able to lure out the culprit as a result. I have already given her the promotion I promised and sent her back to Gilford. As for the servant himself, he's being detained in the palace dungeon."

Kallen scratched her head in confusion. "I don't get it. If the culprit sending the letters was here all this time then who was messing with us in the forest and back at the manor?" she turned to her leader "Suzaku?"

The Knight of Zero placed his chin on his folded hands as he rested his elbows on the table and contemplated the thought. "I'm not sure" he answered quietly. "I never really gave it any thought before but my experience with the person back at Milly's mansion has made me realize the possibility that Nunnally may have had more then one stalker all this time. Even though he was wounded, he still managed to get away from us and is still out there. That's why I need all of you to stay on guard. While we may have captured the servant sending the letters, this is still far from over; I have brought Nunnally back because it is no longer safe for her at Milly's estate. As for Milly herself, I insisted that she return and stay with us as well for her own safety until we can resolve this issue."

"And what about Princess Carline?" Anya asked. "It is unfortunate what happened to her, even more so that she couldn't tell us much about the assassins before she died."

Suzaku frowned at the mention of the late red-headed princess who died trying to stop the assassin from carrying out his threat to the empress. It was true that she caused the whole mess in the first place but that didn't make her death any easier to take. Upon Nunnally's request, Suzaku ordered that the party returned with them to Britannia the very next morning after he and Kallen had gotten enough rest to pilot the jet back. They had considered burying Carline in the countryside before returning but Nunnally would not allow it, insisting that her half-sister's body be brought back for a proper burial inside the royal family mausoleum.

"Its alright, Anya" he assured. "Carline didn't know everything herself but she knew enough to help me figure out what was going on. Her loss has been a heavy blow for all of us, especially Nunnally."

"So what do you want us to do regarding Princess Carline?" Gino asked, looking to his leader "How will we explain her death to the public? If it becomes known that she was killed by an assassin, there could be even more unrest among the people as well as the royal family."

"Then we can't let it be known" Suzaku answered. "As far as the public knows, Princess Carline le Britannia died of illness and will be buried in the royal family mausoleum soon after. This is also an explanation the royal family will accept as well. I really hate having to lie about the circumstances of her death but I'm afraid we have no choice if we want to avoid unease and scandal."

"Its all right, Suzaku, I'm sure she would understand" Cornelia said gently "Right now, our first priority is to protect the empress. From what I heard about the assassin you've encountered, he is a very determined killer who would hunt Nunnally to the ends of the earth if necessary to kill her. It would not surprise me if he followed you back here to Britannia as well."

"She's right" Jeremiah agreed. "We may have captured the culprit here but like you say, this is still far from over. We may not know who the other is but I think the servant in the palace dungeon may know something. Gino and I will question him tonight. Agreed, Gino?"

The Knight of Two nodded. "Yes, of course. Suzaku, let us take care of this while you tend to the empress. I'm sure she's still in shock from everything that's just happened."

"Yes, good idea." Getting up, Suzaku bowed to his fellow Knights. "Thank you all for your hard work. You have my profound gratitude. I have faith that we will see this through to the end. All of you have a good evening; you are dismissed."

"Yes, good night, my lord" the Knights answered in unison.

**SSSSSS**

Nunnally closed her eyes as she pointed her face towards the ceiling and let the hot droplets pelt her face. Although she normally enjoyed baths, the young empress knew she would not be able to relax even if she took one tonight so she opted for a normal hot shower instead. As she showered, images flashed through her mind, images of her newly deceased half-sister as well as the circumstances of her death. Although she never saw how Carline died, she could still very well imagine it from what Suzaku, Milly, and Kallen had told her. Just as she was able to imagine how Euphemia died from what others have described. Not seeing the deaths of her two half-sisters didn't make them any less shocking or painful and Nunnally shivered with grief and fear as she thought of them. She was not only afraid for herself, but for all those she loved who risked their own lives to protect her, especially Suzaku. And even though she knew she shouldn't ask, she desperately wanted her Knight to comfort her again like he did when she lost her brother because he was now the only one who could ease her troubled mind.

As soon as she was done showering, Nunnally stepped out into her chambers clad in a long white satin robe when she thought she heard some stirring and looked around.

"Suzaku? Is that you? Where are you?" she called softly.

As if in answer, said Knight stepped into view from his spot behind the curtains where he had been standing, looking out to the balcony. "Is something the matter?" he asked gently as he approached the young empress.

Nunnally smiled and shook her head. "No, nothing, just nervous I guess. Hey, Suzaku, I was thinking that maybe I should abdicate the throne of Britannia; there are others who are so much more suited to rule then I."

The Knight of Zero frowned. "Nunnally, do you even know what you are saying? Abdicating the throne won't change anything, your life will still be in danger because these killers are obsessed with you as a person, not as an empress. If you remain on the throne, at least we can protect you."

"Yes, but… I can't bear to see you risk your life for mine!" she protested "I've already lost my parents, my brother, Euphie, Shirley, and now Carline. I don't want to lose any more people I care about, especially you! If something happened to you, I…I…" she couldn't bring herself to continue but her eyes spoke for her. Suzaku could see the fear and anguish tormenting his empress knowing what could happen to him if this went on. But this was his duty as a Knight as well as his loyalty as a friend. Nunnally knew there was no arguing with him and desperately wished that there was something, anything she could say that would make him change his mind but looking into his eyes, she knew there was nothing; he would do anything, risk anything to protect her, even if she herself no longer wanted him to.

Sighing, Suzaku took the young empress into his arms and held her in a gesture of comfort, taking in the pleasant scent of her newly washed hair and skin which now smelled of sweet honey. "Its alright, Nunnally, I'll be fine. I didn't become leader of the Knights for nothing. I have faced greater dangers and survived; this will be no different." Even though he knew there was no way he could be certain of that, Suzaku tried to sound as confident as possible, if only to make Nunnally feel at ease. But she knew better; she was no longer the naive and sheltered little girl living under her brother's protection and blind to the dangers of the world. She knew there was a chance that they could both die, or at least one of them might. That was why…

"Suzaku" she said quietly as she gently placed a kiss on the corner of his mouth "I want to be with you tonight."

The Knight stiffened. "Of course, I will stay here and guard you in place of Sayako if you wish." That wasn't what she meant and they both knew it. Still, he pretended to misunderstand in hopes that his empress will let it slide.

She didn't.

"No, that isn't what I meant, Suzaku. I meant that I want to be with you the way lovers are, not just guarding me." As she said this, Nunnally blushed and tightened her hold on Suzaku as she looked up into his dark green eyes.

The Knight shifted nervously as he tried not to let his unease show on his face. For the first time in his life, he was at a total loss as to what to say. "Nunnally, I don't think…that is…"

Upon seeing him hesitate, the empress frowned; could it be that he didn't want her? She doubted that was the case with the way he kissed her back in the forest. "Why not? Do you not find me pleasing? I know I'm not Euphie but…"

Suzaku gently but firmly took her by the shoulders as he looked into her violet eyes. "No, Nunnally, that's not it at all. I never needed or wanted you to be her. I've always appreciated you for who you were, who you are, so please don't ever think that…"

"Then why?" she asked sadly as he loosened his hold on her.

"I should be asking you that. Why would you want this from me of all people?"

"Do you even need to ask? Its because I love you..."

The dark knight shook his head. If he were anyone else, he would have been thrilled to hear that but found that her words frightened him more then anything.

"You must not, Nunnally. You know what I am, the things I've done. I am a murderer, a sinner of the worst kind..."

"You're the man I love…"

"I don't deserve it..."

"Please let me be the judge of that..."

Before he could think of any words to protest, Nunnally backed away from him and sat down on her bed. He watched as she loosened the sash of her robe slightly and the folds came undone, exposing the valley of her breasts and reminding him again that Nunnally was a _woman _and not a _girl_.

Suzaku gulped as he took in the sight. There was no mistaking it; the most beautiful woman in the empire was offering herself to him. What she offered, other men would kill for, but he still couldn't allow himself to take it, he just couldn't. Making every effort not to let his torment show on his face, the Knight forced himself to speak.

"I…I'm sorry…" he began, his voice breaking "I can't…"

Before the empress could reply, Suzaku turned and quickly ran out of the chamber as fast as his legs could carry him.

**SSSSSS**

As he ran down the dimly-lit hallways of the Imperial Royal Palace, Suzaku's mind was in a jumbled mess.

_Damn you, Lelouch! You knew this would happen, didn't you!? Didn't you!? _he thought frantically as he continued running, never stopping until he reached the great portrait of his late friend in the new banquet hall. As soon as he caught his breath, the Knight of Zero looked up to glare at the unmoving image of the previous emperor, a young man forever frozen in time. "You knew this would happen, didn't you?" he asked out loud as if the portrait could answer him. "That was why you offered your life to me. To reward me for my service. And punish me for my betrayal." Suzaku wanted to curse his former best friend but couldn't bring himself to because he finally knew, finally understood Lelouch's anguish, torment, and regrets for they were now his own. That was why he couldn't take what Nunnally offered him. And her eyes, the eyes that once enchanted him like no other now pierced his heart like a knife for they were also the eyes of his first love and his best friend, the friend he killed with his own hands. Contrary to what she thought, Suzaku didn't refuse his empress because he was still hung up on her half-sister. It was because…because…

_Because he had no right._

Yes, that was why. Because he had no right. No right to speak her name, to look upon her beauty, to want her the way he did, to feel for her.

And certainly no right to touch her with his filthy blood-stained hands, the hands that took her brother's life as well as countless others. He simply _had no right._

_I am a murderer…_

_You're the man I love…_

The dark knight smiled bitterly as he thought of those words. The man she loved? Why? How? _How _could she love him knowing what he had done? Knowing that he caused the death of millions, knowing that he took her brother away from her? She was there, she had seen everything, how he fatally stabbed Lelouch and stood by as he torturously bled to death in her arms. He never told her how it pained him to do so, even after everything that had happened between them. He also never told her how it broke his heart watching her force herself to smile for her subjects day after day as she wept for her lost brother night after night in the quiet darkness of her chambers, never knowing that he could hear her as he made his nightly rounds before bed, how he would stop by and stand outside her chambers, listening as she mourned the brother she loved so much but would never see again.

Because of him.

_Suzaku, you're going to be a hero now, the messiah who saved the world from Emperor Lelouch vi Britanna, the enemy of the world, as Zero. But... this is also a punishment for you. You will live on, always wearing that mask, serving as a knight for justice. You will no longer live your life as Suzaku Kururugi. You shall sacrifice the ordinary pleasures of your life for the benefit of the world. For eternity…_

His friend's dying words returned to him, haunting him once more. Though many years have passed since they were spoken, Suzaku could still hear them as clearly as if Lelouch himself was standing right there next to him, whispering them into his ear just as he had that fateful day.

_That's right, _he thought, _I don't deserve her love. Or anyone else's. I gave up the right to ever be happy when I left so many in despair…_

As he thought this, the Knight of Zero buried his face in his hands. He knew he had no right to criticize Lelouch for killing when his own hands weren't any cleaner nor could he blame the geass his friend placed upon him for the atrocities he committed; his hands were stained long before that when he murdered his own father at the tender age of ten. It took him too long to realize what his friend had known all along, that the world could not be changed without getting one's hands dirty; it simply wasn't possible and no amount of idealistic thinking could change that. Yet, he still wanted to believe that Britannia could be changed from within. Ironically, he and Lelouch were able to achieve it together, something that neither could have done alone. As a result, he was able to become leader of the Knights of the Round, a position which granted him enough power and influence to change things he was never able to before.

And all it costed him was his father, his first love, and his best friend.

The Knight smiled sadly at the thought of his late friend. He knew Lelouch was never naive or foolish enough to think that his actions bore no consequence or that there wouldn't be a price to pay for his deeds. And even though he was equally as guilty, Suzaku knew he got off easily compared to his friend who paid the ultimate price. He also knew that he could never take Lelouch's place in Nunnally's heart anymore then she could take Euphemia's place in his. Lelouch would always hold a special place in his sister's heart for he had granted her dearest wish for a more peaceful world in exchange for his life.

_And yet how strange I envy him… Nunnally, if I died for you the way he did, would you remember me always?_

The Knight sighed as he finally managed to calm himself enough to think rationally once more. He wanted to return to Nunnally's chambers and apologize for running out on her like that but it was late and he was sure she must already be asleep by now so it would have to wait until morning, he supposed. For now, there was nothing he could do but return to his own chambers and retire for the evening. As soon as he changed and crawled into bed, Suzaku found himself falling into a deep, troubled sleep…

**SSSSSS**

_Suzaku slowly opened his eyes to the sound of birds and crickets chirping around him. Looking around, he found himself sitting on a tree stump in the middle of a beautiful forest clearing. He also found himself clad in his formal blue and navy Knight's uniform but his sword was not at his side as usual. However, that didn't matter since there was no danger where he was now; the dark knight could feel it even though he knew he had never been in this forest before. It also didn't take him long to realize that he wasn't alone. Looking ahead, he saw a familiar figure emerge from the trees before him, a lovely young pink-haired, violet-eyed maiden who appeared no older then sixteen years of age, at least when he last saw her. The Knight smiled sadly as he watched her approach him in the country dress she wore when they first met almost five years ago. _

"_Euphie…" he said softly. The girl nodded. "I'm dreaming, aren't I?" he asked._

"_Yes" she answered "You are."_

"_I've missed you…"_

"_I know…"_

"_I am glad to see you but why are you here?"_

"_Because there is something I must ask and say to you…"_

"_I don't understand; what do you mean?"_

"_I can see that you are in pain and not the kind that can be healed with medicine."_

"_Yes, that is true. I am afraid, afraid that I will fail Nunnally. Just as I have failed you…"_

_The princess smiled. "No, Suzaku. You haven't failed me. What happened between me and Lelouch that day was fate. It wasn't his fault. And it wasn't yours either. You must stop blaming yourself for that and move on…"_

"_I know I should…but its not as easy as you make it sound. I fear for Nunnally. I fear that no matter what I do, it will not be enough. I want to protect her, most desperately, not just from those who want to harm her, but from myself as well…"_

_Euphemia eyed him curiously. "And why would you think that she needs protection from you?"_

"_Because I don't deserve her, not after all I've done…"_

"_Why do you feel that way, Suzaku?"_

"_I don't know…I just do…"_

_The pink-haired princess came closer until she was right in front of the dark knight and kneeled before him, taking his hands in her own. "I know why…its because your guilt and conflicting emotions are tearing you apart and you cannot give yourself to her as long as they continue to do so. You fear that you will fail her but you are not certian why. You cannot protect her without knowing the reason for wanting to do so. So think, why do you want to protect her so badly? Is it because of me? The promise you made her brother? Or your duty as a Knight?"_

_Suzaku looked down. "It is all of those…but also because…because I love her…"_

_Euphemia smiled. "I love her too" she said "And because I love Nunnally, I want you to make her happy. Love her as you loved me…"_

_The dark knight smiled as he took his first love's hands, raised them to his lips, and kissed them. For the first time in years, his heart felt truly at ease. "Thank you, Euphie…I promise you I will. I will do everything in my power to keep her safe."_

"_Good… I'm glad we are in agreement. I must go now, Suzaku" the pink-haired princess said as she slipped her hands from his and stood up, preparing to take her leave. As she turned around to disappear into the trees once more, Suzaku called out to her._

"_Euphie, wait! I…!" he didn't know what to say but he didn't want her to leave just yet. As if in answer, Euphemia turned around and simply smiled at him once more, that bright and cheerful smile that made so many love and trust her so easily._

"_I love you, Suzaku." she said gently "And I always will. But I am not the one who needs you now. You cannot remain in this dream forever. Wake up and go to her; she is the one who needs you, not I… Wake up, Suzaku…wake up…_

**A/N: Ok, I'm back, thank you all for your patience but I wanted to make this chapter as emotional as possible :) If the forest scene seems familiar to my readers, I got the idea from the movie 'Braveheart' where William Wallace has a dream of meeting his deceased wife in a forest and as much as he does not want to wake up from his dream, she tells him he has to because he still has a duty to fullfill. I thought a similar scene between Suzaku and Euphemia would have a similar effect on our hero; he knows he has a duty to protect his empress and country but he has to really understand why before he could fullfill it.**


	20. Forever If Need Be

**Chapter 19: Forever If Need Be**

The next day passed by agonizingly slow for Suzaku as he played the dream he had of Euphemia over and over again in his mind. Deciding to leave matters of palace security as well as questioning of the imprisoned servant to Gino and Jeremiah a while longer, Suzaku spent most of the day wandering the palace alone and lost in his thoughts. He also avoided Nunnally completely as he tried to think of how to explain and apologize to his empress for running out on her the night before but was dismayed when he found himself completely at a loss as to what to do. He also avoided the other Knights and palace staff as he did not want them to see his unease and discomfort even though he knew that there was no way any of them could know what had transpired between him and the empress.

Or so he thought.

"Suzaku, is something the matter?" he heard Sayako call from behind him as he nearly jumped in surprise. So lost was he in his thoughts that he did not even notice the presence of the chief maid behind him as he stood on the balcony of his room in the palace. If she were anyone else, he might have berated her for entering without knocking but he knew Sayako well enough to know that she always did and it was likely he was so preoccupied that he didn't hear her so she assumed his room was empty and entered to begin her usual cleaning routine of his chambers; only she was allowed to enter the Empress and Knights' chambers when they were gone, the other servants can be there only when they were present.

"Sayako! Forgive me, I didn't hear you come in; I was lost in my thoughts. I hope I didn't keep you waiting long; is there anything I can do for you?"

"No, you didn't keep me waiting; I just walked in a moment ago and noticed you staring out into space. I've been searching for you and since the other Knights have not seen you around the palace, I can only assume that you've returned to your chambers. Jeremiah and Gino have told me to inform you that they can get no information from the servant in the dungeon about the other assassin we've encountered back in Japan at Milly's estate; he seems to know nothing about it and we believe he's telling the truth. He claims to have acted alone but it's possible that both stalkers could have been hired by the same person but not know anything about the other."

Suzaku nodded. "Yes, that is a possibility. When I spoke to Carline, she claimed to have met someone named Armand at a bar in the capital who arranged everything and its possible they worked under him not knowing it was she who wanted Nunnally dead."

"From what Lord Gino told me, it appears that the servant in the dungeon did have an obsession with Nunnally himself as well so it was easy for this Armand to recruit and use him. As for the other assassin, we have no idea. The servant seems to be mentally unstable and there's no question that he will continue to be a danger to the empress as long as he remains in the palace so Lord Jeremiah asks what you want us to do with him."

Suzaku nodded. "You're right. Allowing him to remain here and keep working as a member of the staff is definitely out of the question. And knowing Nunnally, she probably wouldn't allow for an execution either."

"So what should we do?"

"I do not wish for him to remain in the palace, even if it's the dungeon. I want him as far away from Nunnally as possible so I think the best option is to send him away. Since he is mentally ill, it's probably best to send and confine him to a mental institute until we are sure he will not try to harm the empress again, if ever." Though he knew Britannian taxpayers would probably not be happy with his decision, Suzaku would take no chances when it came to Nunnally's safety and neither would Sayako.

The chief maid nodded. "Understood. Consider it done; I will inform the other Knights and we will arrange for it immediately."

"Thank you, Sayako. I'm glad you see it my way and I hope the others will too. But even if they don't, we cannot allow this servant to remain in the palace any longer. Will there be anything else?"

"Well, the empress has not seen you all day and hopes that you are feeling alright. She also wanted me to ask if you were upset with her."

Suzaku was surprised. "No, of course not. Why would she think that?"

"Well, she wouldn't tell me exactly, only that you two had some kind of disagreement and she felt that you may be upset with her. If you are, she wanted you to know that she offers her sincere apology."

The Knight sighed. "No…there is no need for her to apologize, she didn't do anything wrong. The misunderstanding was my fault entirely."

Sayako looked at him curiously, her brow furrowing in concern. "My lord…Suzaku…I know it's none of my business and I hope you will forgive me for asking, but did something happen between you and Nunnally?"

"Well…it's complicated and I'm not sure how to explain…" He knew he had no reason to explain himself to his subordinate but Sayako had been through so much with him and for him, risking her own life to help him and the other Knights protect Nunnally, that he felt she deserved an explanation; he owed her that much at least.

Fortunately, the chief maid saved him the trouble of explaining for unknown to him, she was making her final rounds in the banquet hall the night before when he left Nunnally's chambers and ran down the dimly lit hallway to the great portrait of his late friend. Not wanting him to know of her presence, Sayako wanted to leave the hall and let him be alone with his thoughts but knew there was no way she could without him noticing so she quietly hid herself behind a curtain, listening as he cursed Lelouch for leaving Nunnally in his care, knowing what would happen. It was the first time he saw his love for the empress as a punishment as well as a gift and Suzaku's railing told Sayako all she needed to know about what happened between him and Nunnally. That and the fact that she noticed him clutching the broach he received when he first became a knight, a gift from his first love, in his hand as he stood on his balcony in deep thought.

Sayako's expression softened as she stepped closer and gently placed a hand on Suzaku's shoulder. It wasn't hard for her to guess what he had been thinking; she knew well of the relationship between him and Euphemia as did as the other Knights and Nunnally herself. While he may still have feelings for his first love, she never doubted that he treasured Nunnally just as much if not more and knew that his guilt over the brutal slaying of her brother weighed heavily on his heart and made it difficult for him to accept her love.

"Suzaku… I'm sure that the empress…no, Nunnally has never blamed or hated you for her brother's death, especially after everything you've done for her these four years past; you wouldn't be here if she had. Even if she hesitates to admit it, I can see that she loves you very much and that you return her feelings. Never forget the one she reminds you of, but love her for who she is."

Suzaku smiled sadly as he took Sayako's hand and pressed it to his cheek. "I do…" he whispered "every day I live." It was true; he would have never been able to reconcile with Lelouch if not for his feelings for Nunnally. Ironically, Lelouch never had to ask Suzaku to protect his sister for unknown to his friend, he had done so all along, even during the year they were separated when the Black Knights were temporarily disbanded. And no matter how angry he was with Lelouch, he never did anything he thought would put Nunnally's life in danger for he knew their father was a dangerous and treacherous man who would not hesitate to use and sacrifice his own children if it ever suited his needs.

Sayako smiled and gently took back her hand before leaning forward and placing a sisterly kiss on her lord's cheek. The man had never ceased to amaze her with his determination to overcome a life full of overwhelming obstacles, a remarkable man who won the love of not one, but two Britannian princesses, one of whom became an empress. "Good. I'm glad we're in agreement. It's still early now, but please see Nunnally before you retire. See her and tell her what she needs to hear."

"I will, I promise. I have some duties I must attend to before night falls so I must take my leave of you. Thank you, Sayako, for everything you've done for Nunnally…and for me…"

"You're welcome, my lord. It was and still is an honor to serve both of you. Now go and do what you need to do."

"Of course. Have a good day, my lady."

"You too, my lord."

**SSSSSS**

Nunnally sighed sadly as she set down the book she was reading back on the wooden table before the antique sofa she was sitting on. It had only been a few days since she and her friends returned from Japan and while it was good to be home again, the young empress could not help but miss the tranquility of the Japanese countryside, something she had not been able to enjoy since she took the throne three years ago. Even though they had been gone for nearly a month, Nunnally still felt like they had returned too soon. With all the daily stresses of her position, she could easily use another month away from the rowdiness of the Imperial Palace but sadly, it was not to be. It also didn't ease her mind learning that she had not one, but two stalkers the whole time, even though one was captured and currently being detained in the palace dungeon. The loss of her half-sister also weighed heavily on her heart, even more so then the maidservant who was poisoned by one of her gowns because she and Carline were blood. She was not yet twenty and already she had lost both parents as well as several cherished siblings and friends, including Lelouch. At times, Nunnally felt like she had to must all her willpower not to burst out crying, especially in front of her Knights and subjects, especially Suzaku.

But as soon as she was alone in her chambers, the empress finally had the luxury of grieving like a normal human being. Her eyes were dry now, having shed all the tears she physically could for her lost half-sister, just as she had for Lelouch all those years ago. As if her grief was not enough, Nunnally was also plagued by her fear; who would she lose next? Kallen? Sayako? Suzaku? She couldn't bear to lose any of them, not the way she lost her brother, especially Suzaku, the man who was now dearest to her heart. Yet she knew the possibility due to his position, that's why she wanted him to know how she felt, why she finally offered herself to him without hesitation. Nunnally had never tried to seduce a man before and expected any reaction except the one she got: her Knight turned heel and ran out of her chambers as fast as his legs can carry him.

So surprised was she by Suzaku's reaction that she found herself completely at a loss as to what to do or say. If he had rejected her, at least she would have understood even if she didn't like it. What confused her most was that he didn't give her a straight yes or no answer, simply saying 'I can't' and ran. That was so unlike Suzaku, so unlike the man who was supposed to be the esteemed leader of the Knights. As long as she knew him, Suzaku had never run from anything, not from childhood bullies, intimidating strangers, enemies on the battlefield, and certainly not from the assassin who tried to kill her. So why did he run from _her _of all people? At first Nunnally, thought it was because Suzaku still had difficulty seeing her as a woman and not the child he once knew, the baby sister of his best friend. Another reason could be that he still had feelings for her half-sister, the late Princess Euphemia. But even if it were true, Nunnally tried her best not to feel jealous for both of them were and still are dear to her. Maybe she had been naive and foolish to think that Suzaku could ever love her the way he loved Euphemia. Maybe she would never be anything more than a child in his eyes, a child he felt obligated to protect even if he insisted otherwise.

The empress looked to the grandfather clock on her wall. It was nearly ten, about the time she normally went to bed but despite the fact that she had been up since dawn, Nunnally didn't really feel tired enough to sleep. She didn't have to anyway; since she had not yet returned to her royal duties, there was no need for her to sleep and wake early, at least for the time being. It was something she was grateful for because she could still use a little more down time considering everything she and her friends had been through. Unfortunately, Nunnally found it difficult to relax and doubt she would be able to sleep right away if she tried. So opted for the next best thing; reading a book on her sofa near the fireplace with only the flames lighting her chambers for a more peaceful and relaxing atmosphere.

Unfortunately, the empress could not find enjoyment even in that for she had something else weighing on her mind: her Knight, Suzaku. She had not seen him since he ran out on her the night before and had the feeling he was now avoiding her. Nunnally feared that he might have been shocked and appalled because she had come on too strong in expressing her desires since he had always known her to be shy and innocent. The empress buried her face in her hands and scoffed in self-disgust. Of course he would be appalled at having a child attempt to seduce him! What was she thinking? It wouldn't surprise her if Suzaku didn't wish to speak to her again for a long time if ever. Nunnally found herself deeply regretting her actions and wishing she could have expressed her feelings in way that would not have shocked her Knight so much. Unfortunately, it was too late for that; what's done is done and there was nothing she could do about it now.

Shaking her head, Nunnally prepared to get up and go to bed when she heard a soft knocking on her door. She knew it couldn't be Sayako; the chief maid normally made her final rounds of the palace at this hour along with the rest of the staff and none of the servants or Knights would come see her at such a late hour unless it was for something important. Curious, the empress answered her door and nearly jumped in surprise when she saw that it was one other than her chief protector standing on the other side.

"Suzaku!" she whispered, trying to keep her voice down to avoid alerting the guards. "What is it? Can I get you anything?"

The Knight bowed before his empress. "Forgive me, Nunnally. Nothing is wrong; I just wanted to see you. May I come in?"

"Of course! Please…" Stepping aside, the empress allowed Suzaku to enter her chambers before quietly closing the door behind them. Out of uniform, he was clad in a more casual white dress shirt and black pants while she was clad in only a white satin ankle-length nightgown.

As soon as he was inside, the Knight bowed to his empress again. "Forgive me, Nunnally, for my actions yesterday. I want you to know that it wasn't because of anything you did wrong; I was just so surprised at your revelation that I didn't quite know how to handle it. I needed some time alone today to think on how to apologize to you for my behavior."

Nunnally held her breath and fought the temptation to sigh in relief. So it wasn't what she feared after all. Pulling her Knight to his feet, the empress took him in her arms and held him close. "It's all right, Suzaku; if anyone should be apologizing, it's me. I felt that I may have come on too strong in expressing my affections for you. After all, I never really had much experience with relationships since I became empress at such a young age; anyone would have been shocked by my actions, not just you." As she said this, the young empress smiled sheepishly, a reminiscent of the shy schoolgirl she was not long ago. Suzaku could not help but chuckle; even though she was no longer that shy little girl he grew up with, she still had that special charm that never went away no matter how old she got. But it was one of the things he loved about her; sometimes the more things changed, the more they stayed the same.

"Thank you, Your Highness…Nunnally, for understanding" Suzaku said softly as he returned her embrace. "I am honored that you feel this way for me. But like I said before, you really should not; I am not a man that any woman with sense should love…"

"And like I said before, please let me be the judge of that" she countered.

"You know that the people must see you marry a man and not a mask…"

Nunnally shook her head. "Suzaku…how could you ask me to give my hand to another when my heart already belongs to you?"

Damn, she got him. He knew it was useless to try and argue with her any further but decided to give it one last try. "And there is nothing I can say or do that will make you change your mind?"

Nunnally smiled as she shook her head and took Suzaku by the hand, leading him back to the antique sofa she was reading on before he arrived. "I believe you already know the answer to that."

And that was when he knew he was finally defeated.

Sighing, Suzaku gave in and allowed his empress to do what she would with him. As soon as they were settled on the sofa, he gently placed his hand on her face and looked into her lovely violet eyes, their beauty enhanced by the soft firelight that was illuminating the room. After a few more moments of gentle teasing, he became serious again.

"Nunnally…you know I love you and will do anything to make you happy but you have to be sure that this is what you really want because once it's done, I cannot take it back."

Taking his hand both of hers and holding it against her cheek, Nunnally closed her eyes before looking back into his. There was no hesitation or uncertainty in them. "I've never been so sure of anything in my life. I want to be with you, the way lovers are. But I don't want to force you; I only want this if you do and if you don't, I understand…"

Suzaku's expression softened. It was so like Nunnally to put other people's feelings before her own, another quality in her that he loved. But she didn't have to, not tonight and not with him.

Tilting her face up to face his, the Knight leaned forward and whispered sensuously in her ear.

"I do… I do want it…"

And then he kissed her, not the same gentle kiss they shared at the pond weeks ago but a more passionate, hungry, and demanding kiss that was evident of his desire, his need for her. This was what she had been wanting every since she realized she was in love with her chief protector. She had never wanted to give herself to anyone but him. Even though she knew it had to be wrong, nothing could ever feel more right. The kiss seemed to go on forever but when the demands of their lungs finally ended it, Suzaku pulled Nunnally to her feet and took her into his arms, carrying her to bed.

"I love you, Nunnally… my heart, my soul, everything that I am, is yours…" he whispered into her ear "But I am dead to all the world and can never be your prince, your king. But I will always be your knight, your protector. And if you cannot be my wife, then you shall be my mistress. Forever if need be…"

"Yes…forever if need be…"

**A/N: Okay, so that's chapter 19 in a nutshell. I hope I didn't disappoint all you romance fans too much; as much as I enjoy writing steamy love scenes, I don't want to change the rating on this particular fic of mine so I have to keep the love scene tame in order to maintain the 'T' rating. But hey, sometimes its fun to leave things to the imagination isn't it? ;)**


	21. The Plan

**Chapter 20: The Plan**

Suzaku awoke to the soft sound and feel of a woman's breathing on his cheek. As he slowly opened his eyes, it dawned on him that he was in the royal bedchamber, lying next to the empress herself among a sea of satin sheets and pillows, their clothes littering the floor, and the soft firelight the only thing illuminating the otherwise dark room. Glancing at the antique grandfather clock across the room, Suzaku saw that it was barely past five and that the sun would not rise for another hour or two so there was still time for him to sleep a little longer if he wished since he normally did not wake until seven or eight at the latest. Even so, the dark knight prefer to stay awake and spend his remaining time gazing at the peacefully sleeping face of his beloved since he knew he had to leave before the maids came to wake Nunnally and dress her for the day and under no circumstance could he allow himself to be found in the empress's bedchamber by them or the results could be quite scandalous.

"Mmm…Suzaku?"

Suzaku was snapped out of his thoughts by Nunnally's soft voice and looked down to find his love looking up at him with curious violet eyes, her long, flowing hair freed from their usual restraints and surrounding them like a sea of honey-colored silk. Her soft form was bare of all clothing with her flawless ivory skin warm against his as she gently ran a hand across the smooth, hard muscles of his chest. Suzaku groaned softly as he drew her closer. He wanted to remember every kiss, every sensation, every warm contact that their bare skins had experienced, every soft moan, every time her face had contorted into an expression of pure pleasure was still vibrant in his mind. It had been…utterly amazing…

Staring at her content face, he realized that he wanted it to be like this always. He wanted to only have to think about her and her well-being for the rest of his life. He wanted to be able to hold her like this whenever he wanted; it would simply be heaven to have her every night and wake up next to her everyday for the rest of his life.

"Nunnally…is this a dream?" he asked softly as he tried to answer his own question by tasting her sweet lips to reassure himself that it was not, that what they shared the night before really happened and was not wishful dreaming on his part. Nunnally giggled.

"Well, I don't know, Suzaku…" she giggled "All I know is that it feels wonderful and if this really is a dream, then I pray we never wake up…"

Suzaku laughed softly as he held his love tighter. "Me too… but unfortunately, all dreams, however pleasant, must come to an end; you know I have to be out of here before Sayako and the other maids come to dress you because I don't know how I will explain if I am found in your chambers" he said with a wink. Nunnally rested her head against his chest.

"I know…but we still have some time before the others come. Just stay with me a little longer, please?"

"Of course…I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Mmm…yes…" Nunnally answered softly and allowed her eyes to drift shut but not falling asleep. Like Suzaku, she too preferred to stay awake to enjoy the company of her love before he had to leave. Although she wanted to think only of the Knight by her side, the empress could not help but frown. Even though it was the last thing she wanted to talk about, Nunnally knew she would have to return to concentrating on the problem they still had at hand. There was something that she had been thinking about for some time that she wanted to bring up with her chief protector.

"Suzaku…I really hate to ruin the moment by bringing this up now but I've been thinking about this plan that I've been going about in my mind for some time since we came back from Japan."

"Plan?" Suzaku asked in confusion. "What do you mean, Nunnally?"

"Its about my stalker, the one that hasn't been caught yet. I know it is inevitable that he will come after me again but at least I want to make it easier for you and the other Knights to stop him. I believe I have thought of a way to bring him out into the open and quicker instead of simply waiting for him to come to me and not knowing when or how."

Suzaku frowned. "A way? You don't mean…"

She nodded. "Yes. I will have to make another public appearance. I believe the best time would be at Carline's state funeral; I am almost certain he will appear because this will be an opportunity far too great for him to miss."

The Knight found himself at a total loss for words. The empress herself was the last person he would ever expect to propose such a plan to draw out the mysterious assassin and risking her life in the process. His first impulse was to protest that he cannot allow it but he knew that even though she was his lover, Nunnally was still the empress and in the end, it would be her decision to make. Still, he tried his best to gently dissuade her of such a rash notion even though he himself knew it was probably the best option, however dangerous it was.

"Nunnally, I cannot recommend that. Putting yourself out in the open to draw out the assassin is far too dangerous. I beg you, please let us try to find another way to stop him without putting you at such a great risk…"

"Then what do you propose we do, Suzaku? We can't let this go on for much longer or who knows how many more lives it will cost. Yes, I know that what I propose is dangerous but at least we can be better prepared if he tries to attack me out in the open rather then waiting for him to come after me again with underhanded tactics like the poisoned dress and food. Not to mention the attack on Kallen in the forest as well. This time, it is _I _who am begging _you _not to fight me on this; even you have to admit it is the best and fastest way to end this ordeal. If you can think of a better plan, I would gladly go with it but I really doubt there is any other way."

Suzaku was silent. As much as he hated to admit it, his empress was right. He could think of no other way that wouldn't draw out their hunt for the assassin longer and risk more lives in the process. He wished there was something, anything he could say that would make her change her mind but looking into her eyes, he knew there was nothing; Nunnally's mind was set. In this, she was no different from her late brother. Sighing, Suzaku resigned himself to his defeat. "All right, Nunnally, you win. I will follow your plan but only on the condition that you allow me and the others to take every precaution to protect you and that includes increased security and weapons screening of every citizen at the state funeral."

"Yes, of course… please tell Sayako, Kallen and the others. I know they will protest but this is my order as your empress. However much they may not like it, I insist that we do this, and not just for my sake."

"I understand, Nunnally. The state funeral will be in three days and I must begin making preparations as soon as possible so I must take my leave of you…" Suzaku started to get up when he felt his love's hand close tightly around his wrist. Looking down, he found his empress looking at him sadly, as if she deeply regretted putting him in such a difficult position.

"I'm sorry, Suzaku…" she whispered. "I also wish there was another way but I cannot think of any. Please try to understand, I only want what's best for my people. I will try my best to stay alive and make this as easy for you and the others as I can."

Smiling, Suzaku leaned forward and placed a tender kiss on his beloved's lips. "Its alright, Nunnally, you've nothing to apologize for. I know you wouldn't suggest this if you could think of a better way. The other Knights may be reluctant to go with your plan but they will if I order it; I only pray that they will not give me too much trouble, especially Sayako and Kallen since you are like a sister to them."

"I'm sure they will understand; just do what you can to make them feel more at ease while we prepare for the state funeral."

"Of course… Will there be anything else, Nunnally?"

"Yes… I want to see you again tonight…if you can…" There was a sadness in her eyes as she made this request. Suzaku knew that his empress also understood the danger of what she proposed and wanted to be with him as much as possible since there was a chance that they could both die in three days or at least one of them might.

Hugging her tightly, he buried his face in her soft hair before pressing his lips to her warm forehead. "Yes, I promise. Until tonight, my love…"

After holding him a moment more, Nunnally finally let her knight go, watching as he got dressed and quietly leave her chamber; Sayako and the other maids were due to arrive any minute so she also had to hurry and put her nightgown back on as well as straighten out the sheets on her bed and search the room for any telltale signs of her beloved's presence. While she knew that Sayako might look the other way, Nunnally wouldn't count on the other maids to do the same even if she was well-liked by them. No matter how good at heart they may be, people just loved juicy gossip and there was no need to add fuel to the fire so to speak; there were already enough rumors about the empress and her knight as it was.

No sooner did those thoughts cross her mind, Nunnally heard a loud knocking at her door.

"Good morning, Your Highness! Are you awake? Its time to get dressed!"

"Coming, Sayako!" the empress answered as she quickly smoothed out the creases in her nightgown and answered the door.

**SSSSSS**

"Nunnally, do you even know what you're suggesting? You're not serious about going through with this, are you?" Milly asked with wide-eyed concern as she passed the maple syrup to her friend from across the breakfast table while Sayako listened in silence as she sipped her morning tea.

"I'm afraid so" the empress answered as she poured the thick syrup over her waffles. Normally, she enjoyed their sweet taste but lately found everything she ate to be tasteless due to anticipation of her half-sister's upcoming state funeral which was to take place in three days. "I wish to end this as soon as possible so that there will be no more victims like Carline who died trying to protect me."

"I know you mean well, Nunnally, but surely there must be another way. You do know that what you're suggesting is really no different then painting a large target sign on your gown and inviting the assassin to come after you, don't you?"

"Well, I hate to break it to you, Milly, but that's exactly what it is. And no, there isn't another way; I've already went through every option I can think of. Any other way to draw out the killer will only prolong this ordeal and put more lives at risk and as empress, I cannot allow it."

Milly looked like she wanted to protest further but could not think of any words to say, at least not any that would convince her friend and empress not to go through with such a dangerous plan. In desperation, she looked to Sayako, as if seeking assistance from the older woman in deterring Nunnally from her train of thought.

Unfortunately, the chief maid quietly put down her cup of tea and shook her head. "I'm sorry, Milly, but I'm afraid I have to agree with Nunnally even though I don't like it any more then you do. As long as this assassin continues to come after her, more people will die. I'm sure you realize this as well since you've seen it with your own eyes; this killer doesn't have any qualms about hurting others to achieve his goal; if he did, Carline would still be with us and we wouldn't be having this conversation now."

Milly sighed as she put her head down and set her utensils aside, folding her hands on the table. She knew her friends were right and even though she still disagreed with Nunnally's plan, she knew she was still obligated to respect the empress's wishes and decisions and figured that if she could not talk her out of it, she should at least offer to be of as much assistance as she could.

"I see… I understand. If you're sure that this is really what you want to do then I will do everything I can to help you; you have only to name it."

Sayako smiled. "Thank you for your support, Milly. There is something you can help us with. While Suzaku and the other Knights arrange for tighter security, you can assist me in screening the funeral procession from the sidelines as you did when he and Kallen were hunting the assassin at your home. It might be a bit more difficult this time with the masses of people attending but I'm sure we can still pull it off if we work together."

"Yes, that would be very helpful." Nunnally agreed. "You can also be Sayako's second set of eyes and ears by keeping an eye out for anything suspicious. Suzaku and the other Knights will also be using communications devices like the ones we used at your mansion. That's all we will need on your part; the rest is up to them and I have complete faith in all of our Knights, not just Suzaku."

"So do I, Nunnally…" Milly said "So do I… As soon as Sayako is ready, I will assist her in the preparations." She turned to the chief maid who smiled.

"Thank you for understanding, Milly. I'm sorry we've put you in such a difficult position but we are very grateful for everything you've done. Hopefully, this plan will work and that the assassin will be stopped."

"You're welcome; it is my privilege and honor to protect and serve my empress…and my friend…"

**SSSSSS**

"And that is the plan" Suzaku announced to his subordinates as he leaned forward and placed both hands on the large table of the Knights' meeting room. "In three days, the empress will be making a speech at Princess Carline's funeral service at Pendragon Square and that is where we will await the assassin's return. Since he can attack from anywhere, it is vital that we split up and watch over the procession from each corner of the square and I expect all of you to contact me at the first sign of trouble."

"It sounds like a good plan" Kallen agreed even though she disliked the idea of Nunnally using herself as the bait "But are you certain the assassin will even show up? Don't you think he's smart enough to know this is a trap?"

"I'm fairly certain he will show up even if he knows that" Anya answered. "From what Suzaku has told us, knowing that he, you, and Sayako were with Nunnally at Milly's home didn't deter him from coming after her. If he is that determined to kill Her Highness, no trap will, I'm afraid."

"But surely he knows his escape will be impossible, especially if we are all present along with the tightened security at Pendragon Square" Gino protested. "Do any of you really believe he'd go so far as to sacrifice himself for his goal?"

"I don't know" Suzaku answered. "There is no way of knowing what goes on in the mind of a mad, obsessive man. All I know is that this is the fastest way to end this ordeal and not just for Nunnally's sake, but also for that of the other palace residents as well as our own. If he attacks out in the open, it will be much easier for us to stop him then if he went after the empress again with underhanded tactics like that palace servant months ago."

Jeremiah, who had been listening in silence the whole time, finally spoke. Taking his leader by the shoulders, he gazed long and hard into Suzaku's face as if searching for any signs of doubt or hesitation "My lord…Suzaku" he began gently "I know it is not my place to question you or the empress but are you both certain you want to go through with this plan?"

"I'd be lying if I said yes" Suzaku admitted. "But this is what Her Highness has decided and even though I don't like it any more then you do, I have to agree with her that this is likely the best option."

"And I take it you've already tried everything you could to talk her out of it?"

Suzaku grinned sheepishly at his friend. "Would we be having this conversation if I had managed that?"

Jeremiah could not help but laugh. It was the first time any of them had done so in months since this whole thing started. "I suppose you're right. The empress grows more like her late brother everyday. I commend her for her bravery and for putting the well being of her people before her own but she must also understand that she's no good to them or Britannia if she's dead."

"Yes, I know… and I'm sure she does too. But that's what we're here for; it is the sworn duty of the Knights to protect Britannia and her empress. I know that none of you are comfortable with this plan, I'm not either, but I am grateful to all of you for going along with me, not just as your leader, but also as your friend. Rest assured that we will take every precaution to protect Nunnally and make sure she gets out of this alive."

"That's good" Kallen said "But what of the assassin himself? What should we do with him once he is stopped? Do you suggest imprisonment or confinement at a mental institution like the palace servant?"

"He is too dangerous for either" Suzaku answered. "Unlike the palace servant, I can sense that he is in the right mind and knows exactly what he is doing. I do not want to take the risk of him escaping and becoming a danger to the empress again. I know for certain that nothing short of death will stop him for good. So all of you must aim to kill and that is an order."

"Of course, my lord" Gino answered. "If this is what you and the empress have decided then we will follow you and do everything in our power to make this mission a success."

"Thank you…all of you. I myself will stay by Nunnally's side and if for whatever reason he manages to get past any of you, he will have to go through me as well before he can lay a hand on Her Highness though I would die myself before I let that happen."

Anya smiled, a rarity in itself before saying "I know you would, Suzaku; any of us would give our lives for her. Now that we are all in agreement, all that's left to do is prepare for Princess Carline's state funeral. Will there be anything else, my lord?"

"No, that will be all. We still have three days and that is more then enough time to make the preparations and arrange for tighter security. Lord Asplund informed me that he will provide the necessary communications devices for us to screen the procession and stay in contact. No matter how slight, I expect any and all of you to let me know immediately if you see any sign of trouble; do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, my lord" the Knights answered in unison.

"Good. This meeting is adjourned; you are all dismissed."

**A/N: Hi everyone, I'm back :) Again, sorry for the wait, I've been wanting to get this chapter down sooner but my work has been hectic and kept me busy. The good news is that we are getting near the climax of our story which will be in the next chapter. I'll be working my hardest on it to make it as exciting as possible for all you actions fans plus squeeze in a few more Suzaku/Nunnally moments for the romance fans ;)**


	22. Endgame Part 1

**Chapter 21: Endgame, Part 1**

"I see…so this is what she has decided?" Cornelia asked as she set down the cup of coffee she was sipping. The commander-in-chief had just returned to the palace the evening prior after spending the weekend with her husband and thus had not been present at the Knights' meeting to discuss the use of Princess Carline's state funeral to draw out the assassin so she had to request a private meeting with their leader in her office to get informed.

"Yes… I was reluctant to go along with it as were the other Knights but as you can see, we really have no other choice. If I could think of anything else, we wouldn't be having this conversation." Although she was good at not letting her discomfort show on her face, Suzaku knew his friend all too well not to know how she really felt about his plan.

"No, you're right. As much as I hate to admit it, I have to agree. But for this plan to work, you will need additional security; the palace guard will not be enough. This isn't going to be like Clovis's funeral four years ago; this time, we have an assassin to bait and capture. I will have to tell Gilbert to send in more soldiers to watch the funeral procession and I myself will be there to protect the empress along with you and the rest of the Knights."

"Thank you, Cornelia. We will definitely be needing all the help we can get; the assassin can strike from anywhere. And its not 'bait and capture'; its going to be 'bait and kill'. This man is far too obsessed, too crazy, and too dangerous; if we allow him to live, he will no doubt go after Nunnally again as well as harming others in the process. I deeply regret that it took Carline's tragic death for me to realize that and I cannot bear the lost of any more innocent lives. Neither can Nunnally herself…"

"Bait and kill…" Cornelia murmured as she took in the painful expression on Suzaku's face. Neither of them wanted this and they both knew it. As soldiers and commanders, taking lives was nothing new to them but it had always been in the heat of battle and for the defense of their country, never like this. But if that's what its going to take to protect their empress and friend, so be it.

"I wish it didn't have to be this way" Suzaku insisted "If imprisonment, the threat of it, or the threat of death was enough to deter him, I wouldn't have decided this. But we already know all too well that they won't."

Cornelia's expression softened as she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Its all right, Suzaku" she said gently "You don't have to try and explain or justify your decision to me; I understand all too well. You only need to let me know whatever assistance you need and I will try my best to provide it."

The Knight let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, my lady. All I will need from you is the additional guard for Carline's funeral procession. Please tell them to be alert at all times and aim to kill when the assassin makes his move. I have ordered the other Knights and palace guards to do the same. Your presence would also be most helpful."

"Of course, my lord. We still have two days left. Go and make the arrangements for the funeral while I make arrangements with Gilbert to send in the additional guard. I take it you will be very busy so I will see you again the morning of the funeral."

"Yes" Suzaku agreed as he got up and gave his friend a quick bow. "Thank you for going along with me and for the assistance. Have a good day, my lady; I will see you again in two days.

"Yes…you too. See you then…"

**SSSSSS**

The next two days passed by all too quickly for Suzaku's comfort. While Cornelia was busy making arrangements with her husband for sending in additional guards, he was busy arranging for tighter security both at the funeral and back at the palace. He was relieved that the commander-in-chief offered more soldiers because having all the palace guards at the funeral would leave the palace itself unprotected which he could not allow. He also had the Knights meet again to discuss possible points at the funeral from which the assassin may strike; each Knight would be assigned to watch over said points, no easy task since they would have to look for the dangerous killer among the large masses of people that would be in attendance. Though the fifth princess did not make many public appearances over her lifetime and was not as well known as Cornelia or Nunnally, she was still a member of the royal family and people would gladly take the day off of work or school to attend her funeral service. To keep the empress herself at ease, Suzaku kept his promise to meet with her in secret when she retired to her chambers for the evening.

"Nunnally, are you awake? Its me, Suzaku…" the Knight called in a low voice as he rapped softly on her door after dismissing the guards that normally stood outside her chamber. With him there, they would no longer be needed for the evening plus there were some things he wanted to discuss with her that he preferred others not to hear.

The empress, who was sitting at her desk when she heard her love's voice, quickly set down her pen to let him in. His evening visits were a great comfort to her in this most difficult time and she always looked forward to seeing him no matter what.

"Good evening, my love…" Nunnally greeted, trying to keep her excitement contained and her voice down so that she would not alarm the servants and guards and give away his presence as she embraced the man she loved. "How was your day?"

"Busy" Suzaku answered as he returned her embrace. "Cornelia had just returned; I met with her this morning to inform her of our plan. She said she would make arrangements with Gilbert to send in additional soldiers to watch the procession because the palace guard will not be enough; at least half of them must remain here to watch our home during the funeral. Milly and Sayako will assist Lloyd in screening the procession from a hidden room like we did back at Ashford Manor. Only this time, it may be a bit more difficult because they will have to try and spot the killer in an open area among masses of people instead of a house. But I trust they will come through for us; I can ask no more of them then that."

"I see…yes, that is a good idea. I always knew I could count on Big Sis as much as you and the Knights as well as Sayako, Milly, and Lloyd" she said with a smile. "We can definitely trust them."

"Right… so how was your day? I hope I didn't catch you at a bad time. What were you doing before I came?" Suzaku asked curiously as he looked over at the desk where Nunnally was sitting before his arrival. There were several sheets of paper as well as a beautiful golden antique pen nearby, a gift from Kallen for her eighteenth birthday.

The empress followed his gaze. "Oh, that? Well, I've been trying to put together a speech, of course. As empress, the people will expect me to say at least a few words for my late half-sister, even if we were didn't always get along well. I am grateful that we were at least able to come to a better understanding of each other the last few weeks of her life; that will make this somewhat easier. Still, I'm not sure if I can pull off a funeral speech that well; I don't have nearly as much experience in public speaking as my late father and brother. In fact, the only other time I made a speech was at my coronation."

Suzaku bent over slightly and gave his love a gentle kiss. "You'll do fine" he assured. "But you know the speech isn't the first priority; drawing out the assassin is."

"Do you really believe he will show up? That he wants to kill me so badly he would knowingly and willingly walk into a trap? I'm sure this plan would be obvious even to a child."

"I think it's highly likely he would. Even if he knows it's a trap, its too great an opportunity for him to resist or miss. You've already seen all the trouble he's gone through to find you, even going half-way around the world and back; this time will be no different except that it must end one way or another."

"I see… so I take it all the plans and preparations have already been made?"

"Yes, now all we have to do is wait. The funeral service and procession will take place first thing tomorrow morning. All the schools and businesses in the city will be closed with all of the capital's citizens in attendance. Have you made your preparations as well?"

"Of course; Sayako already helped me pick out the perfect gown and accessories for the service. Though I thought black would be most appropriate for this occasion, she insisted on me wearing white instead which I thought was strange until she told me that it would be the easiest way to notice if I was injured in any way."

"No, I agree. It does sound strange but she's right; these are not ordinary circumstances. May I at least seen the gown?"

"Sure. Right this way." Taking her Knight's hand, Nunnally led him to another part of her chamber where the gown and accessories hung on a mannequin. Upon seeing the snow-white dress, Suzaku found himself growing pale. It looked remarkably like the white robes Lelouch wore the day he died, from the silken material, to the odd-eye shaped patterns along the hem, bodice, to the golden jeweled choker, and very crown atop the mannequin's head. If he hadn't known that Lelouch's actual robes had been damaged beyond repair and destroyed, he would think that it had been altered to make this gown.

Upon seeing the discomfort on Suzaku's face, Nunnally started to worry. "My love, what's wrong?" she asked.

"Nunnally" he whispered as he held her hand tighter "Where did you get this dress? Why have I not seen it before?"

"Well…Sayako made it for me over a year ago. It was actually supposed to be my wedding dress and her wedding gift to me. We never intended to use it for this purpose but we have no choice since I have nothing else in white and there's not enough time to have another white dress made for me. Why, is there something wrong?"

"It looks a lot like Lelouch's robes. The ones he wore when…"

Upon hearing his words, it finally dawned on the empress why the sight of the dress disturbed him so. She and Sayako intended for her to wear it on her wedding day to honor and remember her late brother but unfortunately, Suzaku saw it differently; he saw the possibility of the empress being assassinated wearing a gown very similar to the robes her brother wore when he himself was assassinated and the thought pained him. Losing the woman he loved in such a fashion would be too much for him to bear.

"Suzaku, I'm so sorry, I didn't realize!" Nunnally quickly apologized as she threw her arms around his neck "I don't have to wear this; if it bothers you that much, I'll try to find something else, I promise!"

"No, its alright, really" Suzaku insisted as he held her tighter and stroked her soft hair "Its not important, it just surprised me, that's all. There's no time to have another dress made and we have much more important things to worry about. Just wear this one tomorrow with the crown."

"I see… okay. As usual, Sayako and her maids will be here by dawn tomorrow to help me dress. If you have time, we can do breakfast before the service, either with the others or just the two of us if you prefer."

"I would love to but I'm not sure if I will have enough time as there are so many things that need to be ready before the service starts"

Nunnally tried not to let the look of disappointment show on her face but she knew her love was right. Tomorrow was a big day and she didn't want to distract him any more then necessary. "I understand, Suzaku. Will you at least stay here with me tonight? It would make me feel better plus Sayako would appreciate the time off."

Suzaku's expression finally relaxed as he smiled "Of course, my love. Anything for you…"

**SSSSSS**

The next morning, Nunnally found herself waking to the soft breathing sounds of her sleeping love. Upon opening her eyes, she took in the sight of his peacefully sleeping face. For the first time in months, his expression looked truly at ease. The ordeal of the past few months had taken its toll on him and it was not over yet. But like he said, one way or another, it ends today. And she really hoped it would be for the better. Though she hated to disturb his rest, she knew he could not stay much longer for Sayako and the other maids will be here soon to help her dress for Carline's funeral service. This morning, they will be coming a little earlier then usual for the white gown Sayako had chosen for her along with its accessories will be more time-consuming to put on. The good news was that the heavy crown would require her to wear her hair down so that they would not have to spend a lot of time on braiding or putting it up. Suzaku himself also had to prepare so leaning closer to his ear, she whispered "My love, its time to get up. We have a big day ahead of us." To make him feel more at ease, Nunnally tried to sound cheerful, as if she were trying to wake him for a joyous occasion rather then a grim funeral and hunt for a mysterious assassin.

"Mmm…" The dark knight groaned as he slowly opened his eyes to greet the woman he loved. Even though he knew exactly what kind of day he was waking up to, the sight of his love's beautiful face and cheerful voice made it so much easier. Smiling, he drew her closer as he whispered in her ear "Good morning, love. Yes, I know its time but just let me have one more minute, please?"

Nunnally sighed and relented even though she knew she shouldn't. But the ordeal of the past few months had been so hard on him, on them, that she felt she should give him that much at least; he deserved it, they both did. "All right but you do have to be out of here soon; I wouldn't want to have to explain to Sayako and her maids why I have such a good-looking stranger that I'm not married to in my room" she giggled. They both knew well that Sayako knew about Suzaku's late night visits but would have to feign ignorance in the presence of her subordinates and the chief maid could only cover for them so much; there would be nothing she could do if Suzaku was seen by the other maids inside Nunnally's chamber.

"Haha, you're right. I don't want to cause trouble for you or Sayako. I'll get up now, there's work to be done" he said with a wink. Nunnally watched Suzaku as he got up and dressed himself. She never ceased to be amazed at what a nice body he had beneath his concealing armor and uniforms. Her lover was clearly the embodiment of masculine perfection, his body was slender but well-toned and she could not help but admire the sculpted muscles of his arms and chest as well as the smooth, refined features of his face, a face she regret missing out on seeing for the ten years she was blind. Battle scars traced his body like strokes from a painter's brush but she did not dislike them, nor did she think they were ugly; to her, they were every bit a part of him as the dark hair on his head. Nunnally couldn't help smiling as she remembered hearing Suzaku often say that he would have given ten years of his life for silky straight and easily manageable hair like Lelouch but she adored the chestnut curls he often complained were a hassle to comb out every morning and wouldn't want him to trade them for anything.

After he had finished getting dressed, he leaned over and gave his love one last kiss, trying not to think that it may be the last one they ever shared. He must try to stay positive as much as possible, if for nothing more then his own peace of mind and hers. "Good-bye for now, love. When this is over, we can celebrate with the others and I shall return to see you again when night falls."

"Yes… good-bye for now, my love… and good luck."

**SSSSSS**

"Have you got your speech prepared, Nunnally?" Sayako asked as she gently brushed the empress's silken honey-colored locks. Three other maids had already helped the empress into her silken white gown and accessories before being dismissed by their supervisor for Sayako wished to have a few moments with her liege in private before both of them had to leave for Pendragon Square. She wasn't thrilled that Suzaku ordered her to assist Lloyd and Milly in screening the procession from a hidden room for she would much rather be at Nunnally's side but if that was what her superior thought was best, the chief maid was obligated to obey and trust him; she only hoped that she would not come to regret that decision.

"Yes" Nunnally answered "I will try my best to keep it simple yet considerate of all my sister's best qualities. Even if we did not always get along well, Carline and I are still blood and I believe she has changed somewhat for the better over the last three years even though she did conspire to kill me. But since she died trying to protect me in the end, I feel that that this is the least I can do for her."

"I understand, Nunnally; people cannot control what they feel. Jealously and romantic obsession is a dangerous combination and the feelings themselves are not wrong. Its only wrong if people act on them which can often be difficult to resist. I can only imagine how painful it must be to love someone who loves someone else to the point that he doesn't even notice you. It takes a very strong person to resist acting upon such feelings and I'm sorry to say that Carline was not so. Even Kallen wasn't immune."

"Yes, I know…"

When Sayako finally finished brushing Nunally's hair, she placed the boat-shaped crown upon the empress's head. It was actually the same crown her late brother wore, the only part of his ensemble that was not damaged in Suzaku's attack. She had managed to save it in the chaos surrounding Lelouch's assassination and altered it to fit Nunnally's head when she made the white gown that the empress was wearing now. Had Sayako known that Nunnally would be donning the dress under such circumstances, she would have thought twice before making it but what was done was done and she could only hope that Suzaku would forgive her for creating such a painful reminder of his best friend's untimely demise.

"There, all done. Do you wish to see?" Knowing that the empress did, Sayako turned Nunally around to face the long wooden antique mirror that she used to look at herself every morning after getting dressed. Upon seeing her reflection, Nunnally held her breath and Sayako saw her bring her hands to her face as she tried to hide the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. But very few things about the empress escaped her friend's notice and Sayako furrowed her brows in concern.

"Nunnally, what's wrong? Do you not like the dress? I wish we had time to change you into something else but I'm afraid we don't, please forgive me…"

The empress shook her head. "No, its not that, Sayako. The dress is beautiful but looking at it, it reminds me so much of onii-sama…" It was true but the chief maid knew there was more to it then just that. It was also because Nunnally finally knew, finally understood how her brother must have felt the day he donned his royal robes for the last time before knowingly and willingly walking to his doom; the only difference was that Lelouch's fate was certain; hers was not. Not if Suzaku and the others were successful in stopping the assassin which Sayako hoped with all her heart that they would be. Stepping behind Nunnally, the chief maid gently embraced her friend from behind, fighting her own urge to cry.

"I know, Nunnally. You look beautiful; your brother would be proud of you. As am I. Please be strong, we will get through this together…" Even though she knew there was no way she could be certain of that, Sayako tried to sound as confident as possible if only for Nunnally's peace of mind.

Before the empress could reply, the two heard a knock at the door and when Sayako went to answer it, they saw Anya on the other side, dressed in her formal Knight's uniform and trying her hardest not to let her worry and nervousness show on her face. The Knight of Three said little but her eyes spoke volumes.

"Your Highness... my lady... its time…" she whispered.

**A/N: Ok, everyone, thanx for waiting! We are very close to the end and this chapter is turning out longer then I thought so I've decided to split it in two and after that will be hopefully one more chapter and the epilogue. Right now, I am currently working on the second half of this chapter so my fans will not have to wait too long for an update unless something happens to me! ;) See you then! **


	23. Endgame, Part 2

**Chapter 22: Endgame, Part 2**

"Suzaku, Kallen, Jeremiah, Gino, Anya, Cornelia, can you hear us?" Lloyd asked over his mic and headphone set as he leaned over the control panel of the screening room, a room hidden on the top floor of a building tall enough to allow a full view of Pendragon Square where the service was due to start. Like Ashford Manor, the room also had fifty screens on the wall which enabled them to monitor every nook and cranny of the capital city's square but due to the masses of people in attendance of Carline's state funeral, the earl required another two pair of eyes to keep a look out for anything unusual since it was virtually impossible for him to do it alone. Fortunately for him, Milly had experience in screening and Sayako was a faster learner and sharp as well as quick to notice anything amiss. The assistance of the two women at his side would no doubt make the earl's task easier for he himself had his hands full with keeping the Knights posted with the movement of the crowd. If any of them noticed any unusual activity among the masses, they were to inform the others immediately. Even if all of them believed that there was mostly likely to be a lone assassin coming to kill the empress, they had to be prepared for the possibility of others being involved as well.

"Yes, we can hear you just fine, Lloyd" Suzaku answered as he tapped on the hidden device in his ear and the tiny microphone attached inside his mask. For public appearances, he donned the purple-black suit and mask of the dark knight Zero to hide his true identity from the world even though he was free to don the uniform of the Knights in the presence of his colleagues. He no longer minded having to hide his true face from the world if it meant the safety of the woman he loved. As long as he could be Suzaku to those dearest to his heart, that was all that mattered.

"We hear you loud and clear" Kallen added "If you see anything remotely unusual, please let us know right away."

"Of course" Lloyd replied. "So far, so good; I see nothing unusual. The empress will be making her appearance soon so all of you please stay alert."

"Yes."

While the masses watched, the service proceeded smoothly with half a dozen of the royal guard carrying the coffin bearing the late princess's body to a spot slightly below the front of the stage and the podium where the empress was to speak. As the earl predicted, Nunnally gracefully made her entrance from behind the stage curtain and headed towards the podium, the silken fabric of her gown's train swishing behind her. The last three years of her rule had been uneventful and she had not been required to speak publicly since her coronation ceremony which she was grateful for so far but as empress, she knew that her position would make it an unavoidable obligation; her representatives could only shoulder so much in her place. This was her half-sister's funeral service and possibly her last chance to lure her would-be assassin out into the open using herself as the bait.

From their positions throughout the square, Cornelia and the Knights watched along with the masses as Nunnally took her place behind the podium. The empress looked stunning in her snow-white gown with its fine embroidery, her jewels, and crown. She could be no less with the eyes of her subjects and the world upon her. Suzaku himself hid behind the stage curtains as he used the technology of his mask that enhanced his vision and allowed him to scan the crowd more easily then he would have been able with his naked eyes. Since he took Lelouch's place as Zero, Lloyd was able to come up with new technology to enhance the power of his mask and suit; something he was extremely grateful for now even though he tried to convince the earl at first that he didn't feel it was really necessary when the man proposed and offered them to him. Fortunately for them, his former superior can be very convincing and persuasive; charming women certainly wasn't his only specialty and Suzaku was going to have to remember to thank the man once this ordeal was over.

After that fleeting thought, the dark knight turned his attention once more to his love. The young empress looked nervous even though she was trying her hardest to look confident, remembering how her father carried himself when speaking at Clovis's funeral four years ago. Looking upon the open casket and the eternally sleeping face of her late sister did not make it any easier. For the funeral, Sayako had arranged for Carline's body to be dressed in a concealing, Victorian-style gown instead of the more revealing dresses she preferred wearing in life to hide the bullet wound in her chest. To avoid rumors and conceal the true cause of the late princess's demise, Sayako, Kallen, and Milly dressed the body in the secrecy of the palace instead of hiring a mortician. While concealing, they still made sure Carline's funeral gown was worthy of a Britannian princess so that made keeping the secret somewhat easier. Aside from that, Suzaku knew her unease was also due to lack of experience in public speaking and that she would have no problem becoming better and more confident with it in time; he just had to make sure there would be a next time. Holding his breath as if he feared the very sound of breathing would disrupt her, Suzaku watched as Nunnally herself took a deep breath and finally spoke.

"My fellow Britannians and loyal subjects… we are gathered here today to mourn the passing of my sister, the late fifth Princess of the Britannian Royal Family, Princess Carline le Britannia…" The empress paused as she took in the crowd's reaction. Although their whispers were far too distant for her to hear, she knew they were likely curious about why she looked like she was dressed for a wedding or a ball instead of her sister's funeral, probably even more so why her dress looked remarkably like her late brother's royal robes. Not wanting to give her subjects any more time to ponder the matter further, Nunnally continued "Though many of you did not know Princess Carline well, she was a brave woman with a fiery spirit and fierce loyalty to her country and people…" Though she knew Carline was no angel and once reveled in wanton destruction, the empress tried her best to remain as truthful as possible about her half-sister's true character and qualities. Fortunately, Carline did change for the better, even if it was only briefly before her death so Nunnally did not have to outright lie to the people about her which she would have hated doing, even if they would never know any different since they hardly ever saw the fifth princess make any appearances or interact with the public over her entire lifetime.

"I regret that I could not have a lifetime with her by my side as siblings should. This past month, she had suffered from a terrible illness which finally took her from us in the night as she slept, never to awake again…" At this point, the empress's Knights and friends thought they could hear her choke slightly, as if the lie pained her to speak which knowing her honest nature, it probably did. Nunnally had always been so innocent and pure; she always hated lying, whether to total strangers or those dear to her heart about anything. Now here she was, lying to her entire country and the world about the circumstances of her half-sister's death at her own funeral when she knew that Carline really died trying to protect her and it was almost more then she could bear. It took all her effort not to break down and cry and for the moment, Nunnally forgot about the assassin after her life and prayed that Carline would find it in her heart to forgive her when it was time for them to meet again.

Fortunately for her, the masses took Nunnally's momentary lapse as a sign of grief for the loss of her half-sister which was also true and thought nothing of it as they waited for her to continue. "I will always remember my sister as a vibrant and beautiful woman with a hunger and passion for life, however brief it was for her, as well as her unwavering loyalty to her country and its people. While the world knew her as Britannia's fifth princess, I knew her as Carline first, my royal sibling, my sister, and of course, my dear friend, who had barely begun to live. I know in my heart that her spirit will remain with us, with the country that she loved and would do anything to protect. That is how I feel Princess Carline le Britannia would want to be remembered and I hope all of you will remember her so- I know I will. Thank you all for your attendance; you have my eternal gratitude as your empress…"

As she finished her speech, Nunnally finally relaxed. The crowd was silent for a moment before bursting in applause, finally forgetting about the distracting white gown she donned for her half-sister's funeral service instead of the black they expected her to wear. The citizens were no doubt impressed by her compassionate speech and the fact that she did not exploit Carline's funeral to push a pro-Britannian, anti-democratic agenda like their father did at Clovis's funeral four years prior. So far, there were no signs of anything unusual and Suzaku, the Knights, as well as their friends screening the procession wondered if the assassin might not show up after all.

"Lloyd, Sakayo, Milly, Cornelia, my fellow Knights, have any of you seen anything out of the ordinary?" the Knight asked over the tiny mic inside his mask.

"So far, nothing" Lloyd answered "I'm sure if any of the others did, we would know by now. If the assassin doesn't show up, the rest of the service should go over smoothly but I'm afraid it may also mean we'll lose our last great chance to draw him out into the open."

Suzaku let out a sigh. "True, but…" the dark knight was snapped out of his train of thought when out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a strange movement from a man among the masses, a man dressed in the uniform of the palace guards. As if knowing Suzaku was hiding behind the stage curtains, peaking out slightly, the man looked towards his direction and pulled back his lips in a menacing sneer, his eyes glinting dangerously as he silently mouth the words meant for the Knight's eyes only…

_The empress…will…DIE!_

Even though he could not hear the words, Suzaku knew right away what the man meant and felt his heart freeze as if it were being gripped by icy fingers. It was a feeling even more frightening then the one he had when he feared he might lose his nerve and accidentally botch Lelouch's planned assassination, condemning his friend to a slow and agonizing death. Suzaku's sudden silence did not go unnoticed by his friends as they frantically tried to reach him.

"Suzaku? What's wrong? Suzaku!"

But Suzaku did not hear them. Right now, his full attention was focused on the man before him as he slowly drew a gun from inside his jacket and aimed it towards the empress…

_Nunnally! _The dark knight thought frantically as he prepared to rush to her side but as soon as he tried to run, he felt his eyes burn and body freeze, unable to move as if his feet were being nailed to the very floor of the stage. He hadn't felt it in a long time but he still knew exactly what it was…

Lelouch's geass.

_No! Not now! _Suzaku thought in crazed panic as he tried to resist his friend's curse, trying his hardest to force his body to move. In his frenzied state, he thought he heard the voice of his former liege haunting him.

_I order you to live! You must live no matter what!_

The Knight shook his head fiercely, gritting his teeth as he fought the curse with all his might.

_Let me go! I must save her!_

_You must live!_

_No! I cannot live! Not…without…HER!_

Suzaku mustered all his willpower and mentally fought his late friend's geass until he felt as though his body was breaking free from some invisible chain binding it and rushed towards his empress. What happened next happened so fast it was almost over before his mind had time to register it.

The man took his aim and fired.

Nunnally found herself being knocked off her feet and onto the stage floor so fast she felt the impact before she even knew it was coming, nearly knocking the wind out of her as she heard people in the crowd starting to scream.

"The empress has been shot!"

And it wasn't over yet. As Jeremiah and Gino along with a handful of guards started to tackle the lone gunman, the assassin attempted to aim and fire again but Suzaku was faster. Drawing a pistol from inside his own jacket, the Knight of Zero took his aim and fired, straight into the bastard's heart so by the time he was finally taken down, he was no more then a lifeless corpse.

Now with the threat of the killer gone, Kallen and Anya quickly left their posts and rushed to Nunnally's side while Cornelia stayed behind with her men to calm and hold back the crowd. As soon as they reached the stage, they found the empress sitting, cradling the Knight of Zero in her arms, her white dress stained with blood and tears running down her cheeks. Upon seeing the blood, the two female Knights panicked even though the empress showed no sign of being in pain, at least not physcally.

"Nunnally!" Kallen cried as she ran her hands over the bloodied bodice of her friend's gown, clearly searching for what she thought was a bullet wound so she could stop the flow of blood but Nunnally shook her head fiercely.

"No, its not me, Kallen, I'm fine!"

Before the Knight of Four could protest further, Anya stilled her hand. "No, Kallen, she's right." The Knight of Three said no more as she bent over and removed Suzaku's mask; their leader's pained expression told them all they needed to know. The three women wasted no time as they quickly opened his jacket to his bloodied shirt and found a gaping bullet wound in his chest, the blood still flowing fresh and freely.

_Oh God, no... _the empress thought in horror.

"Nunnally…" he whispered, his voice racked with pain, blood oozing down the corner of his mouth, as he attempted to raise his hand and touch her cheek, so like the way her late brother did it years ago. The empress couldn't believe it was happening all over again; another man she loved was dying in her arms and she was powerless to stop it. How many times must fate cruelly toy with her until it was satisfied?

"Suzaku!" she wailed "You cannot leave me now!"

"My love…I…"

"Listen to me, Suzaku!" Anya began, trying her hardest to stay calm as she pressed her hand hard against the wound in his chest in an attempt to still the flow of blood while Kallen started tearing off pieces of her uniform to dress it. "You've got to hold on! Help is on the way!"

Suzaku nodded weakly as he gazed upon the faces of his fellow Knights and his love, the empress. His desire to save her was strong enough to break the curse of Lelouch's geass just as Nunnally's desire to stop him from taking the _Damocles _had broken their father's geass and finally restore her eyesight after a decade of blindness. But the price of what he had done could very well be most dear as Suzaku felt the strength leaving his body and his vision blurring. The would in his chest was painful but nowhere near as painful as seeing the expression of grief on his beloved's face. He wanted to reach out to her, to comfort her, but he was so weak, he could no longer move his body. No matter how strong he may be, there was a greater power he could not conquer. He didn't want it to end, not like this, but there was nothing left he could do. If he was going to die, at least he had the comfort of knowing that he died protecting his country, and the woman he loved; he was happy knowing that her lovely face was the last thing he ever saw in this life. The Knight opened his mouth and before he finally lost his voice, spoke the last words he thought he would ever be able to say:

"Nunnally…I love you…I always have…and I always will…" he whispered as he felt his eyelids grow heavy and found himself slipping into darkness.

_If I died for you the way he did, will you remember me always? I guess I'll find out, won't I?_

"No, damn you, Suzaku! Don't you die on me, please!" the empress shrieked.

_I'm so sorry…forgive me, my love… _

"Suzaku! SUZAKU!"

**A/N: So here is the climax! I really worked hard on making this good and I hope my readers find it satisfying! And don't worry, our handsome dark knight is not out of the picture yet! There is still so much more for him to do, so stick around!**


	24. A New Beginning

**Chapter 23: A New Beginning**

"Suzaku… are you awake?"

The Knight of Zero slowly opened his eyes as waited for his blurry vision to clear before he could make out his surroundings and the face of his caretaker before him. The last thing he remembered was seeing the weeping face of beloved and two of his fellow Knights before everything went dark. Was it all just a bad dream? The ordeal of the last few months? When he awoke, would he once again find himself in his quarter with Sayako gently urging him to wake up so that he could prepare for his knightly duties for the day?

No such luck.

As soon as his vision cleared, Suzaku found himself lying in bed in his chambers all right, but it was not Sayako's face he was looking at but the smirking face of his former superior, Earl Lloyd Asplund. Were it not for the aching pain in his chest, he would think it all a strange dream. Not only was it Lloyd sitting at his bedside, the dark knight also found himself clad in scrub pants and his bare chest covered with bandages.

"Lloyd!" he cried as he quickly sat up. "What am I doing here? What happened?"

"What happened, indeed? That's what I would like to know but it looks to me like you just missed your chance to go to heaven…again…" the earl answered with a smile and a wink as he remembered the first time he treated his lord after being shot by his previous commander for defying orders. Never in his wildest dreams did he think they would be having this conversation again and upon realizing the irony of it as well, Suzaku burst out laughing though it was cut short when pain gripped his chest. Lloyd's smiled vanished as he reached out to steady his friend and gently force him to lay back down.

"Easy, my lord" he said gently but sternly "You've just survived ten hours of surgery and have been unconscious for the past three days. You were lucky, certainly more so then our assassin; the bullet just barely missed your heart and you passed out due to blood loss. To be honest, I wasn't sure if you were going to make it as the internal damage was quite extensive; the bullet hit high in the chest, ricochet off the collarbone, nicked the heart muscle, and passed through the right lung. I removed it from the base of your spine before patching you up. The good news is you're going to be all right provided you take it easy and get enough rest. Until you recover, it looks like Lord Jeremiah will have to lead the Knights in your stead."

Suzaku could not help but stare at his friend in amazement as he ran a hand over his bandages which were flawlessly dressed. "You did this, Lloyd? And it was you who treated me the first time I was shot too, wasn't it? But how? I thought technology was your specialty, not medicine."

The earl grinned mischievously. "I never told you, didn't I? Before I became head of the science department here, I had six years of medical school and training under my belt. I was actually a doctor at Pendragon General before I was dismissed due to my unpopularity among patients who complained about my lousy bedside manner. This was only about a year or so before you enlisted and I turned to technological research instead. Even though technology is my true passion, I must admit that my medical training has come in handy many times throughout my new career."

"I see…thank you. I'm grateful for your extensive knowledge as well. What happened after I passed out?" Before Lloyd could answer, the door opened and Sayako entered carrying a tray of food accompanied by Milly holding new clothes for Suzaku.

"We heard everything over the communications lines and Lord Asplund sent his assistants for you right away. Kallen and Anya wanted to accompany you but they had to assure the safety of the empress first so we told them to leave you to us while Cornelia, Jeremiah, and Gino as well as their men tried to calm the masses and prevent panic. Fortunately, they were able to get everything under control and no one else was hurt besides you except, of course, the assassin."

"The assassin! I almost forgot! What happened to him?"

"He's dead" Milly answered "Thanks to you. You saved Nunnally's life and for that, you have her lasting gratitude. And ours as well…"

Suzaku breathed a sigh of relief. Although he took no pleasure in killing, he still felt the need to explain himself. "I had no choice" he said quietly as he cast his eyes down "He would have killed the empress if I didn't."

"Its all right, Suzaku, no one is questioning you so you need not try to explain or justify your actions" Lloyd assured "Anyway, after you were brought to a nearby hospital, I took charge of the situation, dismissed the ER staff, and operated on you in secret to protect your identity. It was fortunate that Anya remembered to put your mask back on before my assistants arrived at the stage."

"I see…and you had to pull off the operation alone?" The earl shook his head.

"Fortunately, no. I had Sayako and Milly's assistance. It was a bit difficult due to their limited medical experience but we had no choice because it was the only way to keep the public from finding out who you really are. Unfortunately, the media was way ahead of us and reported you as already having died from being shot by the assassin who himself was killed by you first."

The Knight of Zero frowned. "What does this mean, then?"

"I'm afraid it means that you can never return to the public eye as Suzaku Kururugi or Zero again…" Sayako answered sadly "We are thankful that you survived but to all the world, you are dead. Even if they themselves may not want it, the Knights will likely have to choose a new leader from among themselves, possibly Lord Jeremiah."

"If that is true, then what will become of me? How can I ever protect Nunnally, Britannia, or lead the Knights again if I cannot show myself in public, even as Zero? Am I to spend the rest of my life in the shadows, then?" To this, Lloyd and Sayako found themselves totally at a loss as to what to say that would comfort the distraught Knight. Fortunately, it was the Ashford heiress who answered.

"No, Suzaku. There is a way for you to come back to the world alive and well, even without a mask. I only thought if it just now and I really believe it will work but it may require the cooperation of your relatives, the Sumeragis, so I suggest you call up your cousin, Kaguya, and let her know the media was wrong and you are indeed still alive. On second thought, you'd best leave that to me and focus on recovery for the time being."

The others looked her way, confused as to what Milly meant. "I'm not sure I understand what you're getting at, Milly" Suzaku said in confusion.

"What I meant is that you may be able to return to the world of the living, not as Suzaku Kururugi or Zero, but as a son of the Sumeragi family, and since they are related to the Kururugis, no one will question the striking physical resemblance between your new identity and your old one. That is, if the Sumeragis are willing to back up and verify your claim."

"Honey, that's a great idea!" Lloyd exclaimed with a huge smile on is face "Even I would have never thought of that! You're just full of surprises and that's what I love about you; there may be hope for us yet!" The Ashford heiress blushed and giggled as she tried to brush off her ex-fiance's remark with her hand. Even after all these years apart, his interest and attraction to her had not waned and though she be damned before she would admit it, Milly herself still carried a torch for the handsome and witty earl. Few women were immune to his charms and unfortunately, she was not one of them. Lloyd was right; there may still be hope for them yet. After all, neither of them ever found anyone else who piqued their interest after they broke off their engagement; perhaps fate was conspiring to bring them together again somehow. In any case, they had to push that aside as they had more important matters to worry about at the moment.

"Right…" Milly said as she rolled her eyes "Anyway, I've got to go; I have a phone call to make. It take it your cousin's number has not changed?"

Suzaku shook his head. "No, Kaguya hardly ever changes her number, she thinks its too much hassle. Go ahead and call her."

Milly nodded. "Good, I will. Let me take care of this while you just concentrate on getting better." Her expression softened as she added "I'm sure your cousin will be very happy and relieved when she hears you are still alive. I have no doubt she will be able to convince the Sumeragis to claim you as one of their own."

"I think so too…thank you for thinking of it; I am very grateful. What about Nunnally? How is she?"

"She was unharmed, thanks to you" Sayako answered "After the surgery, Jeremiah and Gino helped Lloyd to bring you back to your chamber. While you were unconscious, each of us took turns watching you. Nunnally herself wanted to come see you but you know her position makes it difficult to go anywhere without being noticed so the best we could do was keep her posted on your condition and ask her to be patient. Now that you're awake, it will much easier to keep her calm until you're ready to see her."

"I see… now that I know that she too, is all right, that will make my recovery easier as well. Thank you, all of you, for what you've done for her…and for me…"

"You're welcome, Suzaku" Lloyd said with a smile before turning to Milly and Sayako. "Come, its time for us to take our leave; our lord will be needing his rest."

"Of course" Sayako agreed before setting the tray of food on the table next to Suzaku while Milly hung his new clothes on a chair. "We'll be leaving now, my lord. Please rest well and should you need anything, don't hesitate to call for us."

"Thank you, I will. Have a good day, all of you…"

"You too, Suzaku. Goodbye."

**SSSSSS**

The next week passed by without incident for the residents of the capital and palace where the empress and her Knights were finally back on duty and interacting with the public once again. People were still talking about the foiled assassination attempt on Nunnally and the 'death' of her chief protector, Zero, but other then that, there was not much else going on. It was good that the assassin was dead and the danger to the empress was over but that also meant that the royal council will once again bring up what Nunnally herself had tried to put off for so long.

Marriage.

The empress had done a good job of resisting her council's insistence that she marry for almost a year but even she knew it was inevitable that she eventually take a husband a provide an heir to the Britannian throne, that is, if she did not want one of her more unsuitable (and corrupt) relatives succeeding her should she be no longer able to rule for whatever reason. The shock of her near assassination was able to buy her another week's worth of time but it was over all too quickly and Nunnally once again found herself in her throne room surrounded by her council members, waiting to be presented with yet another suitor, a painful thought since her heart already and will always belong to one man and one man alone. The good news is that this will not be a public event but a private audience, one requested by the Sumeragi family which piqued her interest because it meant that Kaguya will certainly be in attendance and the empress welcomed the opportunity to see her old friend again. The audience was also possible because the Sumeragis, like their cousins, the Kururugis, were of Japanese noble ancestry.

After being introduced to the court and guests by her grand visor as usual, Nunnally politely curtsied in her burgundy gown and sat down on her throne as she waited for the head of the Sumeragi family to come forth and speak. She could not help but smile when she saw one of her dearest childhood friends step forward clad in her finest kimono and looking just as cheerful and lively as she was when they last saw each other, even though their duties have kept them apart for the last three years. Like Nunnally, Kaguya also grew up beautifully and now led the Sumeragi clan with her new husband of two years, a generous husband who allowed his wife to represent and speak for the family at whatever event she wished and this was one of them.

Kaguya smiled and curtsied before the new Britannian empress and her dear childhood friend. "Thank you for granting us an audience, Your Highness. I am Kaguya Sumeragi and I speak for the entire Sumeragi clan when I say that you honor us with your royal presence." The two women knew the introduction was only necessary because no one at court knew of their decade-long friendship. Nevertheless, Nunnally smiled and did her best to play along with her friend, if only to make a show for the court.

"The honor is mine" she replied. "And I would like to know what the great Sumeragi clan wishes of me."

"You're Highness, it is well known that you have yet to choose a husband. I am sure it must be difficult with so many fine young men who seek your hand. I am here today to present to you the finest member of my family in hopes that you will find him worthy of your heart. May I present my brother, Satoshi Sumeragi!" Kaguya called as she waved her hand towards the direction of the large Sumeragi clan members who were in attendance. Upon hearing the unfamiliar name, Nunnally's eyebrows rose. What was going on here? She knew practically every member of the Sumeragi family and was certain that Kaguya had no brother so who could she be talking about?

As if in answer, the clan members parted and allowed a young man to pass through. When he stepped closer to the empress and she finally saw his face, Nunnally could contain her surprise no longer and almost bit her tongue to keep the name from escaping her lips.

_Suzaku?_

There could be no mistaking it, it was indeed the man she loved. She knew all too well that he was an only child and the way he smiled at her with recognition and longing in his eyes told her that this young man was not a twin or a look-alike. It was none other then Suzaku Kururugi taking on the new identity of Satoshi Sumeragi to ask for her hand in marriage. Even though no one mentioned this plan to her, it didn't take long for the empress to figure it out and it took all her willpower not to run and throw herself in his arms and watched as he slowly approached her and made a graceful bow before introducing himself.

"Allow me to introduce myself, Your Highness. I am Lord Satoshi Sumeragi of the House of Sumeragi and I am pleased to make your acquaintance. I have come far seeking your hand and should you find me worthy of your heart, I shall pledge my undying love and loyalty to you for as long as I shall live."

Forcing herself to remain calm and cool, the young empress got up from her throne and approached the elegantly dressed young nobleman she knew was her love. After curtsying before him, she looked up into his beautiful dark green eyes and smiled. "Lord Sumeragi, thank you for coming today and making yourself known to me. Since I became of age, my subjects have been imploring me to choose a husband from among my countless suitors but none have piqued my interest as you have now. I can sense that you have qualities that they lack, qualities that my heart desires if you will have me as your wife."

The young noble smiled as he went on one knee and took the empress's hand in his own before raising them to his lips. "Thank you, Your Highness; nothing would make me happier or honor me more then if you would have _me _as your husband."

Nunnally's eyes brightened as she helped Suzaku to stand before turning to her grand visor and council members.

"My dear and loyal subjects, thank you all for holding this audience today for I have finally chosen the man to be my husband and consort, Satoshi Sumeragi!"

Upon hearing the joyous announcement, everyone in the throne room cheered, including the Knights who were in attendance as well as Lloyd, Sayako, Milly, and the Sumeragi clan members. The royal council and grand visor were overjoyed (and greatly relieved) that their empress has finally chosen a husband after nearly a year of stubborn resistance, and a very handsome one at that. After the announcement had been made, everyone made for the banquet hall to celebrate and enjoy the rest of the evening with Jeremiah and Gino as well as Lloyd half-leading and half-dragging Suzaku, congratulating him with hearty pats on the back while Nunnally stayed behind and pulled Kaguya aside the first chance she got to ask for an explanation.

"Kaguya, not that I'm ungrateful for what you've done, but why didn't you run it by me first? At least I wouldn't have nearly gotten a heart attack from seeing Suzaku show up here unmasked of all places!"

The Sumeragi heiress laughed as she embraced the empress. "But it wouldn't have been fun if you knew beforehand!" Kaguya teased "Besides, it wasn't my idea; your Knights as well as Suzaku himself thought it was best you didn't know so that you wouldn't accidentally give away the secret by being unable to contain your joy until you really found out just now."

Nunnally finally relaxed and smiled as she saw the logic in her friend's words. "I see…thank you…for bringing Suzaku back here and presenting him to my court and people as your brother. Now that they know we are officially engaged to be married, we no longer have to keep our relationship secret, at least not the one we'll be able to have from now on."

"Of course. But like I said before, it wasn't my idea; I never would have thought of it. In fact, I didn't even know he survived the shot that was meant for you. We all heard that he was killed protecting you and to be honest, I believed it and was devastated at first until Milly contacted me and revealed the truth. She proposed a plan to me that would enable Suzaku to return to the world of the living as a new man, a son of the Sumeragi family. I thought her idea was brilliant and was only too happy to make arrangements of forging the birth certificate and necessary documentations of 'Satoshi Sumeragi'. If there's someone you should thank, its her, not me."

"I see… I will have to thank Milly for that later. And Lloyd and Sayako as well for saving Suzaku's life."

"Indeed. But you can do that later; for now, lets go celebrate your engagement to my 'brother', your new fiancé. I, for one, am starving, and am eager to try out some traditional Britannian cuisine" she said with a wink. Taking Nunnally's hand just like she did when they were children, Kaguya proceeded to lead her old friend to the banquet hall where their friends awaited their guests of honor. Nunnally relented and allowed herself to finally let lose and enjoy herself. After all, when the engagement party is over, she and her council will have a wedding to plan…

**A/N: Ok, now we're really almost done! Just the epilogue and this story is finally finished! It took me a while to figure out a way for Suzu and Nana to be together without her having to marry someone else or him having to don a mask for the rest of his life but I was determined to find a way because I think they deserve to be together ;)**


End file.
